


River Deep, Mountain High

by MyJediLife



Category: Logan Lucky (2017), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Clyde Logan Needs a Hug, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gun Violence, Murder, Murder Mystery, Mutual Pining, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey is FBI, Rey is doing her job, Rey's job is Clyde Logan, Reylogan, Slow Burn, Smut, Soft Clyde Logan, Southern Gentleman Clyde Logan, SwoloFic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2020-01-14 15:13:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 70,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18478834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife
Summary: Someone got themselves killed behind the Duck Tape. Now the FBI is looking at Clyde Logan.Too bad the FBI Agent is a pretty little thing - she couldn't possibly fall for Clyde Logan....Or could she?





	1. River Deep & Mountain High

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Boon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16289306) by [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel). 
  * Inspired by [Firewater](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15167276) by [Polkadotdotdot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polkadotdotdot/pseuds/Polkadotdotdot). 



> Thank you to my amazing Beta and Moodboard Goddess, [Azuwite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)! She is amazing, even though I send her 20 gazillion chapters a week.
> 
> Also, thanks to my cheerleader, M. You know I love ya! <3
> 
>  
> 
> And, of course, I have a deep and abiding love affair with my redneck mental husband, Clyde Logan. <3
> 
> ...Here goes nothing.

[](https://imgur.com/laqgxKv)

Clyde Logan rattled the bars of the jail cell, huffing in annoyance as he waited for one of the cops to show up and let him out.

 

“I ain’t done nothin’, Billy. You know I ain’t done nothin’ wrong! Let me outta here, dammit! I get a phone call, don’t I?”

 

Billy Thomas ambled down the aisle, stopping outside of Clyde’s cell. He had known Clyde his entire life – they had graduated in the same class. He knew Clyde didn’t have anything to do with the current… predicament… happening behind the Duck Tape. However; when you got a phone call from the FBI telling you to hold the bar owner for questioning because some city folk ended up dead behind his bar in Boone County, West Virginia – well, his hands were tied.

 

“Can’t do it, Clyde. Got word from above me that I gotta keep ya here ‘til some Fed gets here to question ya. Some Ray person. Want a beer? That ain’t gonna hurt – they’ll take a few hours to get here.”

 

“I’d rather have whiskey,” Clyde said, his eyes meeting Billy’s through the bars. “Will ya call Jimmy and Mellie for me? Someone’s gotta close up the bar.”

 

Billy waved a hand at his friend dismissively. “Already done, Clyde. I’ll go get ya that beer.”

 

….

 

Rey Sands peered at her computer screen, the words starting to blur together as a yawn erupted from her lips. Glancing at the clock on the lower right of her computer screen, her eyes widened as she realized it was 23:30, and she still didn’t have the report done for the money laundering ring they’d just busted.

 

Captain Holdo was going to be so pissed if she didn’t have it to her in the morning.

 

The phone on her desk was ringing, and Rey sat up with a start, trying not to think about the string of drool that had descended from her mouth to the top of her desk as she woke up. One hand reached out to grab the phone, the other rubbing her eyes as she tried to wake herself up.

This wasn’t the first time she had fallen asleep at her desk at work, and she was positive it wouldn’t be the last. Since graduating from Quantico two years ago, she had put in more hours at the field office in Pittsburgh than she cared to think about.

 

The phone receiver came to her ear, and she tried to sound as if she had been awake the whole night. “Agent Sands, Pittsburgh Field Office,” Rey said, relieved to hear her voice sounded professional and sharp, as opposed to overworked, underpaid and half-asleep.

 

“Sands, got a new case for you. Get ready to go, I’ll have the files to you within an hour,” the voice of her boss, Amilyn Holdo, was as professional as always.

 

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll be ready to go.”

 

“Good,” Holdo said, hanging up the phone noisily in her ear.

 

Rey sighed, wondering just where they were sending her off to this time.

 

….

 

Clyde was used to sleeping in less than stellar conditions. He’d slept propped up against his buddies behind a Humvee in Iraq, in the bed of Jimmy’s truck, and those shitty racks he had to sleep on in the Army would always stick in his mind as being the most uncomfortable torture devices made. But this tiny, metal rack in the Boone County jail had to take the cake.

 

First of all, the makers of said rack had to believe that the only people that would be sleeping on them were about five foot nothing. Second, they also probably believed that those five foot nothing folks were built like a stick, not like the brick shithouse that Clyde Logan was built like.

He turned from side to side, finally sitting up and leaning back against the wall, closing his eyes and trying to keep himself calm. He hadn’t done a thing wrong, and he knew that as soon as this Fed questioned him, he’d be able to go home and sleep in a proper bed.

 

He tried to remember if anything strange had happened that night, but he came up with nothing. Sure, he remembered the city folk that had come in for a drink – everyone had been talking about him since he checked into the motel the night before; the black BMW with the New York license plate drawing a lot of attention in the sleepy Southern town.

 

People here didn’t have anything better to do than gossip, of course – and the city slicker had been the source of all sorts of that.

 

No, when he had come into the bar, Clyde had greeted him like he did every other patron – with a hello and asking him what he wanted to drink. As he recalled, the man sat at the end of the bar, sipping on his Jack and Coke quietly, looking around every so often.

 

And the next thing Clyde knew, people were screaming and the city slicker was dead as a doornail in the lot in back of the bar, a lot that they used for bonfires and barbeques – not murder. That sort of thing just didn’t happen in Boone County.

 

_ So much for the Logan curse being lifted _ , Clyde thought to himself, shifting his weight and trying to get even a teeny bit comfortable.

 

….

 

By the time she pulled her Prius into the parking lot of the Boone County jail, it was pushing seven in the morning, and Rey was tired. She had driven the five hours straight through, and finding any kind of decent fast food joint that was open at five in the morning had proven futile, so Rey had eaten a bag of chips and gas station nachos for dinner and breakfast.

 

If her work hours didn’t kill her, then the food she had to consume while working cases surely would.

 

Blinking wearily in the early morning light, Rey retrieved the file she had been given on the case from the passenger seat before getting out of the car, looking around to see just what kind of dump she was in. She had never been a small town girl, instead choosing to live her life in the hustle and bustle of the city, where she could live her life fairly benignly.

 

This was definitely not a city, and she felt out of her element.

 

Pressing the button on her key fob to lock her car doors, Rey headed inside to question the owner of the bar.

 

….

 

“Clyde!”

 

Bobby Preston’s voice drifted to his ears, and Clyde opened his eyes, trying to focus as he looked toward the door of the cell.

 

“Huh?” Clyde’s response was short and to the point, and about the best anyone ever got from him until he had a mug of coffee down his gullet.

 

“FBI got here ‘bout twenty minutes ago. It’s a cute little lady, she could question me any day...” Bobby’s voice trailed off as his eyes widened in horror as someone appeared in the hallway beside him.

“And maybe I will – but I doubt you’d get off from it like you’re hoping,” said a small, pretty woman who was now standing next to Bobby. “How about you do your job and bring Mr. Logan into the interview room like I requested, instead of telling him how cute you think I am?” Rey glared at the man before glancing briefly at Clyde, spinning on her heels and heading back down the hallway.

 

Clyde swiped a hand over his eyes, looking at Bobby and muttering, “Could ya bring me some coffee at least? Y’all know I’m never up this early, ‘specially not when I gotta close the bar up.”

 

“Yeah, I’ll bring it in, come on, Clyde. Don’t wanna keep that feisty little lady waitin’, she seems like she’s the shoot ya first, ask questions later type to me, ya know?” Bobby unlocked the cell door, not bothering to cuff Clyde before pointing down the hall. “Ya been in there before, go on in and I’ll bring ya the coffee.”

 

Clyde nodded, swiping a large hand over his face again. He was bone weary, having only slept about an hour or so in the last day. He just wanted to get this questioning over, so he could go home and fall into bed for a few hours before he had to open the bar back up.

 

As he reached the interview room, he opened the door and stepped through, his frame towering over the slight woman sitting on one side of a table, looking over sheets of paper in a manila envelope. As she looked up to find Clyde standing there, she raised an eyebrow.

 

“Wow, they sure treat prisoners different down here, don’t they?” Rey mumbled under her breath, looking up at the huge man standing in the room. “Sit, Mr. Logan.” Rey pointed to the small, plastic chair on the opposite side of the table from her.

 

The door behind Clyde opened, and he half-turned, looking at Bobby as he entered the room with two cups of coffee in hand. “Here ya are, Clyde, and I brought one for the lady too, just in case.” Bobby handed a cup to Clyde, who nodded at him, and set the other cup down in front of Rey.

 

“I’ll be outside if ya need me, Clyde won’t give ya any trouble though. He’s a good guy.” Bobby turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

 

Clyde did his best to fold himself onto the small plastic chair, the metal legs groaning under his weight as he looked up at Rey, taking a swallow of coffee as he waited for her to start.

 

“So, Mr. Logan,” Rey began, looking down at the paper before her, “you are the owner of Duck Tape Bar and Grill, correct?” She looked up at the man before her, who was gazing at her intently.

 

“You already knew that, ma’am, since I been sittin’ in that cell all night,” Clyde replied, taking another sip of coffee.

 

Rey let out a sigh, glancing down at her paper again. “And you purchased the bar three years ago?” She looked up at Clyde, pushing the cup of coffee on the table further away from her.

 

“Seems like your papers are tellin’ ya what ya need to know about me, ma’am. Supposin’ I can go then?” Clyde looked at Rey, taking another sip of coffee. He wasn’t one for flirting or being overly approachable – that was more Jimmy’s style. Still, he did notice how pretty she was as she looked down at the papers in front of her.

 

Rey looked up at Clyde, one eyebrow rising incredulously as she fixed him with a serious glare. “No, Mr. Logan, you can’t go. I have some questions for you.”

 

Clyde nodded, taking another swallow of coffee. “Good thing they teach ya FBI folks to read then.”

 

“Let’s see, Mr. Logan…” Rey ignored the man’s jib, continuing on with her questioning, “You did two tours in Iraq, losing an arm to a roadside bomb. You’ve done a couple short stints in jail – one in juvie and one about four years ago – for running your car into a store?” She looked up at Clyde, trying not to smirk as she saw what had happened in the report.

 

“My foot slipped, nothin’ I could do to stop it,” Clyde shrugged, swallowing down the rest of his coffee before pointing to the cup resting on the table. “Ya gonna drink that, ma’am?”

 

“No, go ahead. It smells like paint thinner,” Rey remarked, watching as Clyde grabbed the cup and gulped down half of it before a slow grin spread over his face.

 

“Tastes like it too,” he remarked, shoving a piece of stray hair off his forehead with one large hand.

 

“So, Mr. Logan, do you know this man?” Rey shoved a picture across the table toward Clyde, watching his face carefully as he moved it towards him with long fingers.

 

“No, ma’am. I seen him before, in the bar. But I don’t know him.”

 

Rey couldn’t detect any hint of deception coming from the man. “His name is Jimmy ‘The Jackal’ Fellini. Ever heard of that name?”

 

Clyde shook his head before shoving the picture back across the table to Rey. “No, ma’am. We don’t get many city folk out here in Boone County. Ain’t much here to keep ‘em occupied and all. All I can tell ya is that he drove a BMW and that he ordered a Jack and Coke, sat at the end of the bar just lookin’ around every so often. Nothin’ really out of the ordinary, ‘cept he’s city folk.” Clyde shrugged.

 

“Mr. Logan, do you have any security cameras that might have caught anything?” Rey looked at Clyde, hoping he would tell her he did – it would make her job a lot easier.

 

“Nope, sorry. Ain’t no need for ‘em. We get the occasional scrap goin’ on, but we usually break it up pretty quick.” Again, Clyde shrugged, taking the last swallow of coffee from the cup with a tired sigh.

 

“When’s the last time you saw Mr. Fellini last night?” Rey asked, again watching Clyde’s reaction carefully for any signs of deceit.

 

“I’d say about one or so? I went to the cooler to stock some, came back out and he was gone. Went about my business ‘til about two or so, when I was fixin’ to close ‘er down. That’s when the screamin’ started out back and the cops showed up.”

 

Rey watched him for a long moment before nodding her head, satisfied that the man was telling her the truth. “Alright, Mr. Logan. You’re free to go.” Rey slid a business card across the table to him. “If you think of anything else, feel free to call me. I’ll be in town a few more days, talking to other people who were at the bar last night.”

 

“Hell of a way to give a man your number, but I’ll be sure to call ya if I think of somethin’,” Clyde said, sliding the card into his shirt pocket. “If ya need to look around, just make sure ya lock up afterwards. Don’t want the coons gettin’ inside, they’ll make a hell of a mess of things. Also, if ya decide to come in for a drink, it’s on the house. I’m there every night.” Clyde stood, turning towards the door, and as he gripped the handle with his hand, he half-turned, looking over his shoulder at Rey. “Watch out for the good ole boys, they’re all gonna hit on ya. Just ignore ‘em, we don’t get many good lookin’ gals like you through here.” Clyde turned the knob, stepping out into the hallway and making his way out to the lobby. “Bobby, gimme a ride to the bar? My truck’s there.”

 

“Sure, Clyde. Let’s go!”

 

….

 

Rey looked up as Clyde started to exit the room, his parting words to her bringing a blush to her face.

 

She would ignore all the men hitting on her – unless Clyde Logan decided to. She might consider allowing him to hit on her, because he was simply a good-looking, polite man, and Rey knew she shouldn’t be thinking that – it wasn’t professional.

 

With a shake of her head, she set to work looking through the case file once more. She would get to the bottom of this case – no matter how long she had to stay in backwoods West Virginia to do so.


	2. Turn The Page

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimmy is... Jimmy.
> 
> Mellie plays matchmaker, and Clyde is his polite, sweet Southern self.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my amazing Beta and Moodboard maker extraordinaire: [Azuwite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)! She is an amazing beta, writer and person, so go check out her stuff!
> 
> *Muahz to my cheerleader, M, and all my other girls in the Den. I love you all more than you could ever imagine!*

[](https://imgur.com/K4lIDyz)

When Rey walked into Duck Tape that night, Clyde was under the bar, restocking the whiskey, and when he heard his brother mutter, “Well, would ya look at that pretty little thing?” he straightened up, wondering just who Jimmy was setting his eyes on for his flirtations this time. Sure, they got travelers through Boone County, but most of the women around these parts knew Jimmy Logan and his flirtatious manner.

 

_ Oh hell no. He ain’t flirtin’ with  _ **_her_ ** _ … _ Clyde thought as he saw Rey approaching the bar.

Raising one brow to her, Clyde waited until she sat down, his drawl coming to her ears in an almost delicious way. “What can I get ya?”

 

Of course, his brother chose that moment to sidle his way down the bar, sliding onto the stool next to Rey’s. “Howdy, ma’am… what’s a pretty little thing like you doin’ here tonight?” Jimmy put his usual smile on his face, not even looking at his brother.

 

“She’s gettin’ a drink and bein’ left alone by you,” Clyde said softly to Jimmy, looking at Rey and raising both brows now. “So, what’ll it be?”

 

Jimmy looked between the woman and Clyde, a slow smile spreading across his lips. “I get it, Clyde, you’re sweet on her already! I’d never try’n steal a lady away from my brother… y’all have yourselves a good night!”

 

As Jimmy walked over to the table occupied by Earl, Clyde had never wanted to punch his brother more.

 

Focusing his attention back on Rey, Clyde said softly, “Sorry ‘bout that, ma’am. We don’t let him off the farm much, ya see. He don’t know how to behave.” He offered Rey a half-smirk before she finally responded to his previously posed question.

 

“How about some Jack on the rocks?” Rey wasn’t much of a drinker – she barely had time to eat a meal with the crazy hours she worked, much less have a social life. She had spent the rest of the day after interviewing Clyde trying to track down everyone who had been at the Duck Tape the night of the murder, but she hadn’t had a lot of luck. She was an outsider, and while people here were beyond polite – she was nothing more than ‘city folk’ to them.

 

In short, Rey needed Clyde Logan’s help to track down and talk to his bar patrons from the night before.

 

“Sure thing, ma’am,” Clyde said slowly before reaching down, grabbing a clean glass and filling it with ice. His new hand made things easier, for sure, especially when pouring drinks.  Sliding the drink across the bar to Rey, Clyde said, “Ya need anythin’, just lemme know, alright?”

Rey nodded, taking a sip of her drink and looking around the bar. It looked like a typical bar to her, the wood on the bar clean and well-worn, the whole atmosphere being homey and welcoming. As she watched, a bubbly brunette sauntered through the doors, hopping up on a bar stool and giving Clyde a big smile.

 

“Whatcha wantin’, Mel?” Clyde asked his sister as she sat down.

 

“I just wanted to check in on my big brother after his night in the pokey,” Mellie teased, watching as her brother slid her usual across the bar top to her. “Ya doin’ alright today, Clyde?”

 

“Yep,” Clyde answered, his eyes going to where Rey was sitting for a brief moment – although he should have known that was a horrible idea with his sister sitting in front of him.

 

Mellie, of course, followed her brother’s gaze, letting out an excited squeal as she saw Rey sitting there, her small hand coming out to smack her brother’s arm lightly. “Clyde Logan! Are you sweet on someone?” Mellie looked at Rey for a moment before she looked back at Clyde, her voice lowering into a whisper now. “She ain’t from around here. How have ya been keepin’ this from everyone?”

 

Clyde felt a blush flood onto his face, and he shook his head softly. “Aw, hell, Mellie, I ain’t sweet on her! She’s just a good lookin’ gal, is all. She’s that FBI lady, here investigatin’ the murder happened the other night.”

 

“Ah,” Mellie said, taking a drink from the glass Clyde had poured for her earlier. Jimmy was working on things with Sylvia – although he would  _ never _ quit flirting like a fool - and she had, well,  _ whatever _ it was with Joe Bang. That left Clyde with no one to spend his time with, and in Mellie Logan’s mind, that was a hell of a shame.

 

With her mind made up, Mellie made her way down the bar, sliding onto the stool beside Rey’s as she gave the other woman a smile. “Howdy! I’m Mellie, Mellie Logan! How long ya plannin’ to be in town?”

 

Rey looked up from her drink as the pretty brunette she had noticed earlier was approaching, giving her a tight-lipped smile as she asked her how long she was going to be in town. “Oh, I don’t know. As long as it takes to investigate this case, I guess. Did you say your last name was Logan?”

 

“Sure did! My brother owns this place! I believe ya had him locked up last night ‘til ya could get here to talk to ‘em? Yeah, he’s a good lookin’ man, isn’t he? Smart too! I think the only other place in town he loves as much as this bar is the library! Why, ole Clyde is the catch of Boone County! Aw, listen to me, goin’ on about my  _ single _ brother and all, I’m sorry for bein’ rude. What’s your name?” Mellie held out her hand for a shake, noticing with glee that Rey didn’t wear a wedding ring, or have a tan line from where one would be.

 

_ This was going to be fun. _

 

“I’m Rey. Rey Sands. Um, Agent Sands, FBI.” Rey gulped before taking a drink. Her mouth had gone dry at the thought that Mellie may be Clyde Logan’s wife. Her eyes went to Clyde, who was popping the top off a bottle of beer before handing it to a man in a dirty baseball cap wearing overalls.

Mellie noticed Rey watching her brother, of course. She knew things, Mellie did, and if it helped Clyde find a girlfriend – well, then Mellie was glad for her ‘gift’. “Excitin’ things happenin’ around here lately. We ain’t never had no one gettin’ killed in town before. I’m guessin’ people are pretty tight-lipped when ya try’n talk to them?” Mellie looked at Rey for a moment, watching her face.

Rey tried to keep her face impassive as Mellie guessed what she had been struggling with all day. How did this girl from a tiny town in West Virginia know that Rey was having trouble? Shrugging, Rey took another drink from her glass, her eyes going to the long-haired bartender once more. Rey knew in her gut Clyde was the main piece to help solve her puzzle. She just needed the rest of the pieces.

Mellie didn’t miss the way Rey’s eyes drifted to her brother, and she sure didn’t miss the way Clyde was making eyes at Rey.  _ Time to work a little bit of Logan magic _ , Mellie thought to herself. “Well, I think I have just the idea to help ya, Rey!” The brunette ball of sunshine said warmly, looking at her brother and trying to suppress a smirk. “There’s this barn dance and hog roast goin’ on this Saturday – it’s a benefit for the Purple Lady, ya see, she lost everything in a house fire – so all the money we raise goes to help her replace things. Like she needs fifty more purple hats, but I’ll get back to my point - maybe if ya showed up there, say, with Clyde, well then, you’d be seen with one of us. That might get people’s tongues waggin’ and all. Ya want me to set it up with Clyde? I’d be happy to help y’all.”

“Uh...” Rey hadn’t expected this, of course, and Mellie’s whirlwind logic left her feeling a bit like she’d been run over by a semi during a tornado, which had picked her up and tossed her a mile down the road from her original location.

Before Rey could answer, Mellie called her brother over to them. “Clyde! Ya takin’ anyone to the hog roast Saturday?”

Clyde looked between Mellie and Rey, his mind trying to turn things over. Mellie was up to something, he knew – she could never hide her excitement when she was putting a plan together. “Uh, I wasn’t plannin’ on even goin’, Mel. Purple Lady don’t need more hats, far as I can tell. And I don’t dance, so no point in me goin’.” Clyde ended his statement by looking at Rey, one corner of his mouth curling up slightly.

Rey looked into Clyde’s soft brown eyes, feeling something inside her change, and without thinking, she said quickly, “Your sister is right, Mr. Logan-“

“Clyde. Mister Logan was our Daddy,” Clyde said softly, a light blush covering his cheeks as he forgot his manners and interrupted Rey. “Pardon the interruption, ma’am. Ya were sayin’?”

“Rey. I’m not sixty, so I’m not a ma’am yet,  _ Clyde _ .” Rey gave him a small smile before continuing, “Look, your sister is right. I could use your help in gaining people’s trust. If they saw me at the… hog roast… with you, they might be a bit more willing to talk to me about what happened. The sooner I can get info, the sooner I can get back to Pittsburgh and life can get back to normal here for everyone. All you’d have to do is pick me up and walk around the hog roast with me, introduce me to people, then drop me back off at my hotel.” Rey looked over at Mellie and smiled. “Thanks for the idea, Miss – I mean – Mellie.”

Clyde looked between the two women and knew he was good and truly screwed. First off, his sister always got what she wanted – it was just her way. With her looks and her wit, she could talk her way out of anything. Secondly, Clyde was taken by Rey from the moment he had seen her. There was just something about her that called to him. He nodded at her and turned to fill someone else’s drink, already anxious about Saturday.

….

Mellie made herself scarce after setting up Clyde’s  _ date _ with the pretty FBI lady – because in her eyes, that’s exactly what picking up a lady and taking her to a hog roast was – a  _ date _ . Throw in the fact that Rey and Clyde had been making eyes at each other the whole time Rey had been in the bar – well, her big brother had it bad for Rey already. Mellie had just given it a little nudge in the right direction. Now she just had to make sure Jimmy didn’t ruin everything by being… Jimmy… and everything would turn out just fine.

Rey stuck around until she could barely keep her eyes open anymore, nursing the one drink she had ordered and observing everything around her. If her eyes had maybe observed the tall, dark-haired bartender with the kind eyes more than once, well, that was simply a part of her job description. Luckily, it wasn’t anything she had to write into a report – because she could probably spend pages upon pages describing what Clyde Logan looked like by now. As she walked out the door, she nodded to Clyde, who was stocking beer, and he gave her a smile and a wave.

Clyde had never been good at talking to folks. He had always let Jimmy and Mellie do the talking, while he sat back and listened. He supposed that was his talent – listening. Jimmy was a charmer, Mellie was a plotter, and both of them were definitely talkers. Clyde supposed that being a listener made him a thinker too. People thought the Logan kids were slow and ignorant – but that’s because the three of them  _ allowed _ people to see them like that. If people thought you were dumb, they didn’t expect things from you – like pulling off multimillion dollar heists, say. It was a good cover.

Clyde felt like Rey was a good listener, and a thinker too. She certainly hadn’t said much when she was at Duck Tape. Instead, she had taken everything in and watched, and Clyde had felt her mesmerizing hazel eyes on him more than once. He wasn’t about to complain one bit about that. As he fell into bed after closing the bar down, Clyde wondered idly if a woman like Agent Rey Sands could ever be happy in a place like Boone County, West Virginia.

….

 

Clyde woke up at noon, the new fangled coffee maker he had bought with the fancy programming feature lulling him into a sense of wakefulness as it brewed his breakfast, the smell of dark roast meeting his nostrils as he sat up in bed, yawning. He had to be at the bar for a delivery in an hour – or else he would still be asleep for at least another two hours.

Mornings sucked – and noon was close enough to morning for him.

Clyde was never fully awake until he had at least two cups of coffee in him, and today was no different. After he swallowed the last of his second cup down, he made his way to the Duck Tape, relieved to see that the delivery driver was already waiting for him. If he unloaded the truck fast enough, then he would have some extra time to spend at the library. There was a new book coming out today that Clyde wanted to get his hands on, and if he had extra time for reading it, well, he would be a happy man, indeed.

….

 

Rey had sat in the tiny motel room, staring out the window after sending her current mission report off to Holdo, trying to plan her next move. The only thing she could come up with – and she tried to reason that this was the most  _ logical _ move, of course, and not some excuse to see a certain dark-haired bar owner – was to go to the scene of the crime again, in daylight, just to make sure the small town cops hadn’t overlooked something.

As she pulled up to the bar, her mouth went dry at the sight of Clyde, dressed in a wife beater and a pair of jeans, unloading boxes of alcohol from a straight truck, his muscles straining and working as he hefted boxes onto a hand cart. He had a thin sheen of sweat on his face, and as she watched, he pulled up the hem of his shirt to wipe his brow, and Rey was greeted with the glorious sight of his broad, well-muscled chest and abs.

Oh yes, there was definitely more to Clyde Logan than any casual observer would ever see.

Not wanting to seem like a creep, Rey got out of her car after he had gone back to work, striding confidently to the back entrance of the bar. As Clyde came back out for another load, his face lit up at the sight of her. “Hi there, Rey. Ya needin’ to look around back there?”

Rey simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak after the spectacle she had just witnessed. Her eyes travelled over the muscles of his biceps briefly before she managed to compose herself and put on a professional front. “Yes. I figured I could take a look during the day, make sure nothing got missed.”

Clyde hefted another box onto the cart, and Rey licked her lips without thinking about it, trying not to let her eyes wander to his biceps again as they rippled with his effort.

She failed miserably, and Clyde tilted his head towards the back lot of the bar, his eyes sparkling with something that appeared to be amusement. “Have a looksie then. Got some iced tea, soda and water inside if ya get thirsty – it’s a hot one today.”

Rey gulped, thinking to herself,  _ Yeah, it’s definitely hot,  _ before she nodded and made her way to the backlot of the Duck Tape. Her investigation didn’t turn up anything new, and as she took pictures and video of the area to look at later, Rey sighed. The Jackal’s car was already on its way to Pittsburgh, so that their forensics team could analyze it, and Rey had gone through his hotel room with a fine-tooth comb. Jimmy Fellini had been careful not to leave any clues behind about why he had been in Podunk, West Virginia. There was one thing Rey was certain of, though, Clyde Logan had nothing to do with his murder.

 

She eyed the back door of the bar longingly, deciding to take him up on the offer of a cold drink. As she stepped into the dimly lit bar, she followed the sounds of boxes being shuffled around, stopping in front of the large walk-in beer cooler.

 

Deciding she would help, Rey looked down, picking up the box of bottles that was propped against the door, her small frame stepping fully inside the cooler as the door swung shut behind her. As her eyes met Clyde’s, a look of horror crossed over his face.

 

“That there box was holdin’ the door open. The latch has been busted for pritneer a week now, been meanin’ to get to fixin’ it.” Clyde grabbed the box out of Rey’s hands and stepped around several others, his long strides getting him to the door quickly. Reaching out, he pushed at it with his good hand, then put a broad shoulder to it. The large steel door refused to budge, even with his strength pushing against it.

“I’d find a box to perch yourself on, Rey. Looks like we’re stuck in here ‘til I can rouse Mellie or Jimmy to come let us out.”

Rey felt a flush coming over her face. While the thought of spending time alone with Clyde wasn’t terrible – knowing she was the cause of them possibly freezing to death wasn’t exactly the way she had foreseen them spending time together. “I-I’m so sorry, Clyde,” Rey stammered as she sat down on one of the crates that littered the cooler floor.

“Ain’t nothin’ t’worry about, Rey, ya didn’t know,” Clyde waved his artificial hand at her as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket with his other hand. “Could be worse,” he deadpanned with a grin, his eyes flickering to Rey’s as he swiped at his phone screen with a large thumb.

“H-How?” Rey asked softly, not sure how he was finding amusement in this situation.

“Well, ya could be stuck in a meat locker with pig carcasses around ya,” Clyde offered with another heart-stopping grin before continuing, “Or ya could be stuck in the milk cooler in the Grocery Castle with one of them Bang brothers. I’d say that this here situation is better than those.”

As Rey remembered to breathe, she nodded her head in agreement. “Yeah. I agree.”


	3. Lookin' For A Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beer coolers are cold. Mellie is diabolical. And burnt bacon reigns supreme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come on, we all love Adam Driver in a tank top, right?
> 
> Thanks to [Azuwite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite) for being the best Beta and moodboard designer out there!
> 
> Thanks to my sprinters in the Den for telling me I don't suck, and thanks to you all for reading my mental diarrhea and liking it. <3

[](https://imgur.com/ukH46Rt)

Clyde hated using his phone. He had gotten the biggest phone they offered, had even put one of those fancy Otterboxes on it – and it still felt tiny in his hands. Of course, he had to use his good hand to use it, because no matter how much he cussed at it – the damn phone simply didn’t register anything when he used his artificial hand.  _ So much for them being sophisticated _ , Clyde thought to himself as he swiped to bring the phone screen to life.

 

The first person he texted was his brother. Of course, Jimmy  _ had _ to be at work, meaning that he couldn’t get back any time soon to let them out. Next, he texted his sister.

 

_ Mels, could ya come let me outta the damn beer cooler? The latch is busted and Rey didn’t know and locked us in here. It’s damn cold too, so hurry. _

 

At the beauty shop, Mellie glanced at her phone as the text message from Clyde came in.  _ Well, now… I couldn’t have asked for a better situation. A cool freezer, two people shivering… plus I have two clients waiting here… _ Mellie let an almost devious smirk come to her face as she typed back a reply to her brother.

 

_ <Mellie> I’ll get there as soon as I can. Y’all should cuddle together for heat or somethin’. _

 

Clyde almost choked when his phone chimed and he read his sister’s message. There was no way that was gonna happen – he hardly knew Rey, and it wasn’t that cold. He could stock the cooler while they waited, kill two birds with one stone.

 

Rey had been looking down at her phone when Clyde’s phone chimed, and she looked up to see him shake his head slightly, his face coloring as he read the message on his phone. 

“Everything alright?” she asked the tall man as he turned and started to unpack bottles from one of the crates.

 

“Yeah, um, my sister’ll be comin’ along to let us out, just gotta give her a little bit. She’s with a client.” Clyde tried to concentrate on making sure the bottles of Johnny Walker Black Label were placed perfectly on the storage racks, even though he could feel the cold starting to settle into him already. While the tank top he was wearing was perfect for unloading a truck outside in the sunshine – it definitely was not ideal for being trapped in a beer cooler.

 

“Want some help?” Rey asked, watching as Clyde hefted bottles onto the storage racks. He had to be freezing, in fact, Rey could see goosebumps forming on his arms, causing the dark hair to stand on end as he worked. She was dressed a bit warmer – she was always cold, even in the warmth of a Southern spring.

 

“Nah, this ain’t no work for a lady,” Clyde drawled, moving to a crate of Captain Morgan next. As he turned to grab another bottle, Rey was standing there, a smile on her face as she handed a bottle to him.

 

“Well, I did get a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and go through an insanely hard FBI Training Academy – I think I can handle helping you unload some crates, Clyde. I mean, it’s not as fun as writing boring reports or even reading a Kindle book – but I think I can muddle through. Besides, if we keep moving we’ll stay warmer, right?”

 

“Suppose so,” Clyde mumbled, the tips of his ears poking out of his hair were bright red, and Rey suppressed the urge to tuck his hair behind his ears so she could see them better. 

 

“Whatcha readin’ anyways?” Most men were won over by food and good looks – but Clyde Logan could be won over by a good cup of coffee, burnt bacon and a good discussion about books.

 

“Fahrenheit 451. Again. Do you like to read?” Rey looked up at Clyde, handing him another bottle.

 

Clyde looked at Rey for a moment before murmuring softly, one of his favorite quotes from Ray Bradbury’s classic leaving his lips before he gave it much thought, “We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at last one which makes the heart run over.” As he arranged another bottle on the rack, he heard Rey chuckle and he saw her nod her head out of the corner of his eye.

 

“You like to read, then.” Rey handed him another bottle, the smile on her face staying in place as she looked at him.

 

“Yep,” Clyde answered, trying to not look in her eyes. He knew it was rude – his Momma had taught him how to be a gentleman after all – but if he looked in those hazel eyes of hers, Clyde knew he would be lost in them. “Used to get teased somethin’ fierce for it too.”

 

They worked in a companionable silence after that, until all the boxes and crates were unpacked and there was nothing else to keep them occupied and moving, so Rey sat on an empty crate once more, and Clyde leaned against one of the racks, trying not to shiver. The cold had started to settle into his bones now, and the stump of his arm ached inside his prosthesis.

 

“Where ya from in England?” Clyde asked after a few moments. Of course he had noticed her lilting accent –he found it so endearing, if he thought about it. He tried not to think about it though. She’d be leaving Boone County soon enough, and Clyde didn’t need that kind of heartbreak.

 

“London,” Rey said, tucking a piece of hair behind her head and she looked up from her phone.

Clyde was shivering now, she realized, and Rey stood, crossing the small space to stand in front of him. Reaching up with both hands, she started rubbing his arms, with the hopes of keeping him warm until they got let out of the cooler.

 

“Just trying to keep you warm,” Rey said softly, looking up into Clyde’s soft brown eyes. He nodded, swallowing hard before he spoke again, his eyes moving from hers down to her arms on his.

 

“Thanks.” Clyde swallowed hard again, his mouth dry at having her so close and touching him – even if it was just to keep him warm. “I been to London. A couple times,” Clyde said softly.

 

“Yeah?” Rey said, one perfect brow rising slightly as she rubbed his shoulders. She had to stand on tiptoes to do it, which brought her even closer to him. Rey found she didn’t mind all that much.

 

“Uh huh. When I was stationed in Germany. Was on leave and wanted to see somethin’ new. I always liked history, so London was the perfect choice at the time.” Rey shivered slightly, and Clyde was certain she was starting to get cold now. “You’re cold too,” He remarked, looking down at her.

 

“Not so much now,” Rey said softly, her hands continuing to rub over his arms and shoulders. “What did you think of my hometown?”

 

“It was fascinatin’,” Clyde replied. “Much better seein’ it for real than just in them pictures in textbooks. All that history, crammed into one city. Went to Paris one weekend too. Saw the Louvre and Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower… Never did make it to Rome though.”

 

Rey continued her slow assault on his arms, trying not to take note of the muscles which rippled just below the skin. As she looked into his eyes, Rey worried her bottom lip before saying softly, “I’ve never been to Rome either.”

 

Clyde’s eyes fixated on her lips as she spoke, and he put his good hand on her arm now, rubbing slowly through her thin shirt. “No?” He asked, resisting the urge to dip his head a few inches, so he could taste those delicious-looking lips of hers.

 

Rey shook her head, her teeth biting her bottom lip softly now. There was something almost magical in the air between them, like a spark waiting to ignite and flare into something intense and bright. Her eyes moved from his down to his lips, and if she just stood on tiptoes and craned her neck just right – she could press her lips to his and see if that would be the tinder needed to spark the fire. Rey licked her lips, intent on the plan she had formulated, and as she stood more on tiptoes, her lips about to meet Clyde’s in what she was certain would be the sweetest kiss ever, the sound of the latch on the cooler door had her jumping away, settling herself back on a crate across the cooler from Clyde.

 

Clyde let out a huff, irritated at Mellie’s timing, and as the cooler door swung open to reveal his sister, Clyde was once more leaning against the rack, his cellphone in hand.

The one thing neither Rey nor Clyde could deny, though, was the blush on their faces or the tension that hung thick in the air.

 

Mellie looked between both of them, shaking her head slightly. “Y’all need me to lock this thing back up so y’all can get back to whatever ya were doin’?”

 

Rey tried her best to act calm, even though the near kiss had her heart beating triple time in her chest. “No need, since we weren’t doing anything but talking.” Rey stood giving Clyde a smile before turning and exiting the cooler, the warmth of the air in the bar already seeping into her like a caress.

 

After Rey walked out, Mellie looked at her brother, one brow raised and her arms crossed over her chest. “Thanks for gettin’ here so  _ fast _ , Mel,” Clyde said slowly before brushing past her to go back into the heated air of the Duck Tape. His eyes automatically went to Rey, and Mellie simply stood in front of the cooler, watching them both and shaking her head. “Shoulda waited five more minutes,” she mumbled under her breath as she slid out of the back door of the bar, heading back to work.

 

Rey looked up at Clyde as he neared her, tucking an errant tuft of hair behind her ear before giving him another smile. “So, I was thinking,” Rey started speaking, the words loud in the near silence of the empty bar, only the hum of the ice machine and the ceiling fan above competing with her voice.

 

Clyde raised both his eyebrows as he looked at her, not sure what to expect next from her.

“Since, you know, I locked us in the cooler by accident – I am so, so sorry, by the way,” Rey continued on, her face flushing more as she apologized, “I thought – well, I’m  _ starving _ – so I thought, maybe I could buy us lunch, you know, to make up for us almost freezing to death and all.”

 

Clyde looked at her, his eyes sparkling with mirth as his lips turned up slightly into a smirk. “I’m more of a breakfast guy, but okay. If we go to the café I can still get me some burnt bacon, eggs and hash browns. And coffee, of course.”

 

Rey grinned back. “Coffee sounds good. Cream, two sugars – let’s go!” Her stomach chose that moment to give a hefty growl, which had them both chuckling as they made their way out to where their vehicles were parked. “Want to ride with me and I can bring you back here?” Rey asked, and Clyde eyed her car for a moment, trying to decide if he could fit his legs inside it.

“No offense, but I’m thinkin’ your car is pretty small, and I’m a pretty big guy… but I’m supposin’ if I can fit in Mellie’s car, I can probably fit in yours. Let’s give ‘er a whirl.” He smiled as he opened the door, somehow managing to fold himself into the tight space. Luckily, it was a short ride to the café.

 

As he  _ unfolded _ himself from the passenger seat of Rey’s car once they reached the café, Clyde was thanking God for muscle cars – because they seemed to be made for men like him, as opposed to the tiny, plastic bubbles that seemed to be in style now. Apparently, most of the world was either shrinking – or maybe he was getting taller, like Lemuel Gulliver getting shipwrecked in Lilliput – a giant in a world of tiny people.

 

The bell jangling over the door as Rey pushed it open had everyone in the café looking up from their meals, most of them regarding her with suspicion until they saw Clyde behind her, their suspicious looks changing to more accepting ones as they saw her with a local. For a big man, Clyde moved easily through the narrow aisles until he found a booth to his liking, sliding into one side. As Rey slid in the opposite side of the booth, Clyde gave her yet another smile as he grabbed the menu and pushed it across the table to her. “Chicken Fried Steak is good. Just don’t be askin’ for no brown gravy like Yanks usually do. Old Edna might just hit ya with her order pad and walk away.”

 

“Noted,” Rey said with a grin before leaning forward and asking, “What, exactly, is that? I mean, I  _ am _ British by birth…”

 

Clyde just grinned in return and remarked softly, “Don’t let nobody ‘round here hear ya sayin’ that, ok? Might cause a riot or somethin’. Better stick to a cheeseburger and fries then.” Clyde looked up as Edna, the café’s permanent fixture, appeared, a pen stuck through the tight bun in her hair and an order pad in hand as she greeted him.

 

“Hello there, Clyde! Want your usual breakfast?” Clyde just nodded, and Edna’s attention went to Rey next. “And what’ll ya have, sweetie?”

 

Rey glanced at Clyde and smirked, “Cheeseburger and fries, please. And some coffee… and a chocolate milkshake.” Clyde raised his eyebrows at her, wondering to himself just where she was going to fit all that food in her tiny body – but then he quickly reminded himself that he shouldn’t be  _ thinking  _ about her  _ body _ , because she would be leaving town sometime soon. He wanted to avoid heartbreak.

 

“So, I been thinkin’ about this here case of yours,” Clyde said softly, looking around to see how much attention everyone was paying to the city girl sitting with him. “Now, all my experience with gangsters, of course, is from readin’ and watchin’  _ The Sopranos _ and documentaries, but they don’t give ya some menacin’ soundin’ nickname unless you are a trusted member of an organization. So, why would someone like that be in Boone County? We ain’t got nothin’ here no one would want, ya know?”

 

Rey looked at Clyde, giving him a small smile at the mention of his books and tv viewing experiences. As he spoke, she nodded thoughtfully, looking up as Edna came back with their drinks, as well as their food.  _ They sure do cook things quick down here _ , she thought as she eyed Clyde’s plate for a moment.

 

“Clyde… is that  _ char _ on your bacon?” Rey asked incredulously, not quite sure if the bacon was edible for human consumption.

 

“Yep. Just the way I like it,” Clyde replied as he popped a strip in his mouth, crunching the burnt, delicious pork product before swallowing it. He looked at the almost horrified look on Rey’s face and smirked before gulping down some coffee.

 

Rey shook her head softly before popping a French fry in her mouth, contemplating Clyde’s logic for a moment before saying, “Okay, so, why was he here in the middle of nowhere? No offense, of course.”

 

“Why, indeed?” said Clyde after a moment, knowing that the gears of her brain were whirring along inside her pretty head. “Seems to me he was probably waitin’ for someone. I mean, Boone County is pritneer the middle o’ nowhere, as ya put it. When he was sittin’ at the bar, he kept lookin’ around, like he was waitin’ for someone. Now, I was busy, so I didn’t see if he got a text or somethin’… but I would bet my good hand that he met someone out back who wanted to whack him.” Clyde smirked at the vernacular he had used, eating the last of his bacon and setting to work on his eggs and hash browns next.

 

“Good points,” Rey said as she attacked the last of her fries before digging into her burger. After the first bite, she looked up at Clyde, her eyes wide with wonder as she chewed and swallowed. “This is the best burger I have ever tasted,” she said almost reverently, and the smirk that Clyde gave her was sinful, at best, causing desire to curl once more in her gut.

 

“Wait ‘til ya get some of the hog roast in yer mouth,” Clyde said, taking the last bite of his food on his plate. “Plus, ya know… ya get to talk to folks and figure out who this gangster might’ve been talkin’ to outside. I mean, Earl, he sits outside to smoke and all – but he sits out front. Ain’t nobody go out back unless we got a fire or a barbeque goin’ on.”

 

“Guess Saturday will be… important then, huh? I mean… for my case.” Rey blushed, not wanting Clyde to know just how much she was looking forward to it.  _ Stay professional, Sands. No attachments. You will be going back to Pittsburgh soon. _

 

“Yep. Saturday’s gonna be important for yer case. Of course,” Clyde murmured, watching Rey as he finished his coffee.  _ Don’t let yourself get hooked. She ain’t stickin’ round, and ya don’t need that kinda heartache. _

 

“So, Sopranos, huh?” Rey teased Clyde, finishing the last of her milkshake as she looked at him.

 

“Yep. I don’t watch much television. I’d rather read. I can picture things better in my head than them television people ever make it look,” Clyde shrugged, looking up as Edna reappeared with their check.

 

“Do y’all need anythin’ else?” the older lady asked, looking between Clyde and Rey. When they both shook their heads, she slid the check to the center of the table. “Y’all have a good day then.” Clyde nodded at her, and as she walked away, he put his hand out to grab the check at the same time as Rey, their hands coming together on top of the thin slip of paper, their eyes meeting right after their hands did.

 

“Oh,” Rey said softly, trying to think about anything but the fact that Clyde’s hand was  _ huge  _ and  _ warm _ , and would probably feel wonderful  _ touching _ her in other, much more  _ intimate _ places. Her face colored and she felt some sort of electric energy passing between them, unseen, but definitely not unfelt.

 

“Sorry, habit, I guess, to pay for a lady,” Clyde mumbled, his own face coloring as well. Rey’s hand was  _ tiny _ under his, but it was so  _ warm  _ and  _ soft _ , and he remembered how it had felt rubbing his arms and shoulders earlier in the cooler. He felt the electricity between them, as well, although he would call it something far different – he would say it was something akin to  _ desire  _ and  _ want _ and  _ longing _ – and he cleared his throat as he pulled his hand away first.

 

Rey broke their gaze first, as she grabbed the check and stood, glancing at her watch. “I gotta get you back to the bar. I have a conference call with my boss in half an hour.” She didn’t look at Clyde as she strode to the register and paid, and as they both made their way out to the car, they still didn’t look at each other.

 

They were silent, in fact, until they reached Duck Tape, and Rey looked over at Clyde finally, staring at a spot just over his shoulder. “So, you have my number in case you find anything out, or in case you have more theories…” Rey let a ghost of a smile drift over her face now, before she continued. “But in case I don’t talk to you or see you before Saturday – what time should I expect you?”

 

“Oh, um,” Clyde fumbled with the handle of her door clumsily, just so he had something to do besides looking at her. “Well, hog roast starts at three, so I guess maybe two-thirty or so? Sound good?” Clyde opened the door and half-turned so he could unfold his legs onto the dirt, and looked back at her as he waited for her answer.

 

“Yeah. See you then, Clyde.” Rey watched as he stood and walked towards his car before she pulled away – already missing talking with Clyde. Saturday couldn’t come soon enough. Then, maybe she could wrap up this case and go back home – where things made sense and a chocolate-eyed Southern bartender didn’t fog up her thoughts every time he came near.

 

Clyde watched as Rey pulled away – and all he could think about was how Saturday was too far away for his liking. As he made his way to his car – he knew he was truly screwed – because if Rey asked him to, he would do whatever it was she was asking of him. 


	4. Head Over Boots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Barn Dance time!
> 
> Can Clyde Logan dance? Guess we'll see!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to my wonderful beta/moodboard artist! She is wonderful, and you should check out her writing here: [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)

[](https://imgur.com/v4wuUEI)

The sound of his alarm beeping woke him, and Clyde sat straight up in bed, his hair falling into his face as he blinked sleepily into the early afternoon light. He swiped at his hair as he yawned, pulling it back from his face before it fell back across his forehead as he stood up.

 

Today was the day he was taking Rey to the hog roast and barn dance.

 

Today would be a good day.

 

As he showered and got dressed, Clyde wondered if Rey was looking forward to today as much as he was. He shouldn’t be, he knew, because Agent Rey Sands was gonna cause him nothin’ but heartbreak. He knew she wasn’t the type of woman who would be happy in a tiny town in West Virginia. No, Rey Sands was the type of woman who was focused on her career, and was independent and happy in a big city.

 

Oh, how he wished things were different, though. How he wished he was a sophisticated city boy, instead of a small town West Virginian nobody. Rey could never fall for a guy like him – he shouldn’t even be worrying about it.

 

He was helping her solve a murder, and that was all.

 

As he pulled up to her hotel at the time they had agreed on, Clyde tried not to choke as he saw Rey coming out of her room. Clearly, his sister had advised her how to dress for a barn dance – because the cutoff jean shorts, cowboy boots and plaid button down top, unbuttoned to reveal a white tank top underneath, were definitely going to fit in – even though Clyde wouldn’t notice anyone else, because Rey looked absolutely  _ stunning _ , and he thought he was going to have a very, very hard time stringing words together in her presence.

 

“Hey, Clyde!” Rey said cheerfully as she pulled open the door to his truck, sliding into the passenger seat with ease, her smile rendering him completely speechless for a moment.

 

Thank goodness his hair covered his ears, because they were probably bright red as a blush spread over his face. He put his truck in gear, and then Clyde finally remembered how to speak, a mumbled “Hey, Rey!” leaving his lips as he concentrated on driving and not looking at her.

 

The hog roast was already in progress as Clyde pulled into the grass-covered yard that was serving as a makeshift parking lot, looking over at Rey as he killed the engine.

 

Licking her lips, Rey said, ”So, our plan is for you to be seen with me – you may want to, I don’t know, grab my hand or something. Really sell it, that you’re here with me. That should make people comfortable with talking to me.”

 

“Right, got it,” Clyde mumbled, looking at Rey and swallowing hard. She might be playing at liking him – but with the way his heart was thudding in his chest, Clyde wasn’t sure he could play at liking Rey.

 

Because he  _ did _ like her. A lot, in fact.

 

“You, um, you look real nice, Rey.” Clyde felt himself blushing more as he spoke, but the smile he got in return was worth his embarrassment. Her smile knocked the wind out of him, practically, and if he didn’t find a way to combat it, Clyde wouldn’t be able to say a word the rest of the day.

 

“Thanks, Clyde. You look good too. Are you ready to do this?” Rey tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, biting her bottom lip as she looked at him.

 

Clyde just nodded, not trusting himself to speak again as he opened the door of his truck, closing it behind him and going around to open Rey’s door. Once again, she graced him with a smile, and Clyde felt his heart thump faster in his chest, like the traitor it was turning out to be.

 

_ Stop that, heart,  _ Clyde thought to himself.  _ She ain’t never gonna be yours, so stop thumping away harder every time she looks at ya. _

 

Rey slid out of his truck, and as Clyde closed the door , he turned towards her to see her sniffing the air, a huge grin on her face. “I don’t know what they are cooking, but it smells delicious!” Her eyes turned towards him, and Clyde grinned back at her before answering.

 

“They’re roastin’ a couple of hogs over an open pit. I’m sure there’s some homemade baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, tomato and cucumber salad, a whole bunch of pies, probably some watermelon for the kids… and beer. Lots of beer and whiskey, I can tell ya that for certain, since I had to order extra for this.”

 

Rey replied, “Perfect. I’m starving!”

 

….

_ You’re the one I want, you’re the one I need _

_ Baby, if I was a king, ah, you would be my queen _

_ You’re the rock in my roll _

_ You’re good for my soul, it’s true _

_ I’m head over boots for you… _

 

The strains of Jon Pardi’s  _ Head Over Boots _ floated through the air as they left the truck, making their way towards the barn, and Clyde groaned inwardly. While the words might be true for the way he was feeling about Rey – well, he just hoped she wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics.

 

By the way she was looking around, taking in every detail of the barn and its surroundings, Clyde was hopeful that she hadn’t caught the lyrics to the song. As she looked over at him, she gave him a small smile, reaching out and sliding her hand into his.

 

Contentment closed over him, and Clyde wouldn’t remember his own name if someone had asked him right then. He guided them towards the barn, where he knew everyone usually gathered – and after paying their small entry fee – he once again got to witness the wonder on Rey’s face as she took in the inside of the barn.

 

Purple and white lights had been strung from the central lighting fixture – which had always reminded Clyde of a gaudy metal octopus, it’s metal tentacles curled towards the roof – sloping gently towards the opposite wall. Bales of straw and hay lined the walls for people to sit on, with the center of the barn left often for dancing. The deejay booth sat at one end of the barn, and Clyde knew that later the deejay would be replaced by a band. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him as they walked inside – he wasn’t a small man, and most people noticed him when he walked into a room.

 

The Purple Lady – who had been given the spot of honor near the deejay, since the whole shindig was for her benefit – immediately leaned closer to her best friend (and best gossipmonger), saying something that Clyde was sure would be around the county by the end of the night. She looked up from her throne – which was really just three hay bales fashioned together to look like a throne, covered in purple streamers – and waggled her fingers at Clyde in greeting. He gave her a half-smile, looking around the room to find his brother and sister.

 

He hadn’t located them yet when he caught sight of a blonde head rocketing towards him, and Clyde had to drop Rey’s hand to catch his niece, Sadie’s sweet face smiling up at him as she hugged him and wrapped her legs around him. “Uncle Clyde! Guess what?”

 

Clyde smiled at his niece, who was 12 now and had discovered her Uncle’s love of reading recently. “What, Sadiebear?”

 

“I finished  _ Prisoner of Azkaban _ last night!” Sadie beamed at her Uncle, obviously proud of herself.

 

“You did? Guess that means we need to go to the library on Monday for  _ Goblet of Fire _ , huh?” 

Clyde winked at his niece, happy that she had taken up reading like he had.

 

“Can we please, Uncle Clyde? Can ya pick me up after school and take me?” Sadie was bouncing in his arms, her eyes hopeful and pleading as she looked at her Uncle.

 

“Oh, I think I can manage that, Sadiebear,” Clyde said, grinning at her now. “Where’s your Daddy and Aunt Mellie?”

 

“Daddy’s outside by the pit with Moody, fightin’ about who can make the better barbeque, and Aunt Mellie is gabbin’ with her friends about hair or somethin’. Sylvie’s around here, too. Who’s your friend, Uncle Clyde?” Sadie looked at Rey, giving the woman a smile as she squirmed out of Clyde’s arms and settled herself back on her feet once more.

 

“Oh, um,” Clyde started to mumble, his face turning red once more. Luckily, Rey took the reins, giving Sadie a smile and introducing herself.

 

“Hi there, my name’s Rey!” Her accent was so lilting, so beautiful, that Clyde was once again rendered speechless.

 

Sadie giggled before remarking, “You got a pretty accent, Rey. Are you sweet on my Uncle Clyde? Are ya his girlfriend or somethin’?” Sadie looked between both of them, practically bouncing on her feet.

 

_ She been hangin’ around Mellie too damn much,  _ Clyde thought to himself, his face coloring even more now.

 

“Well, now, he is pretty sweet, isn’t he?” Rey winked at Clyde, reaching over and grabbing his hand again. “As far as being his girlfriend… not right now, but maybe someday, if he asks.” Rey bumped him with her shoulder, and Clyde gulped, trying to make sure he was getting enough air so that he didn’t faint.

 

Sadie grinned and said, “That’s good, ‘cuz Aunt Mellie said he needs to settle down and start makin’ babies soon. He ain’t never had a girlfriend before. Aunt Mellie says that’s ‘cuz he likes readin’ and history and stuff, and ain’t many gals in Boone County like that.” Sadie looked around Rey, spotting someone she knew before looking back at Clyde and Rey and saying, “Nice to meet ya, Rey! I’ll see ya after school on Monday, Uncle Clyde!” As she ran off to meet her friends, Clyde once again found himself standing alone with Rey, her hand tiny in his as he wondered just what he should say now.

 

“I, uh, I’m sorry ‘bout that. Sadie’s pretty excitable once she gets goin’ and all…” Clyde mumbled as he looked down at Rey. Luckily, she didn’t seem to be phased by it, and she smiled up at him.

 

“It’s alright. I was that age once, I understand. Do you think the food is ready yet?” Her smile widened at the mention of food, and Clyde couldn’t help but smile back at her.

 

“We can go see! ‘Sides, my brother is out there, and he can get mighty worked up if he’s tryin’ to claim the crown of barbeque king. I might need to mediate.” Clyde somehow managed to let out a chuckle, his hand tightening around Rey’s as he led her back outside and around the back, where the delicious smells of roast pig simmering on the pits wafted to their nostrils.

 

Rey let out a moan that Clyde could only describe as  _ sexual _ at the smell of the food, and he felt a tightening in his groin at the sound, even though he chose to ignore it. He was here with her, not because she  _ wanted _ to be here with him, but because she was  _ working _ . Soon enough, she would have all the information she needed for her case, and then she would be gone.

 

Clyde tugged on Rey’s hand as he spotted Jimmy, guiding her towards the barbeque pits, where his brother was in a heated discussion with Earl about what goes in the perfect barbeque sauce. “I’m tellin’ ya, ya have to use more Worcestershire sauce, or else that sauce is gonna taste like some Yankee city boy made it – I should know, I make the best sauce in West Virginia,” Jimmy was talking with his hands, trying to convince Earl and everyone else in a half a mile radius that he knew what he was talking about.

 

As they approached, everyone stopped talking, a smirk coming to Jimmy’s lips as he took in the sight of Clyde and Rey holding hands. “Hello, Clyde. Hello,  _ Rey _ , is it? How ya gettin’ on here in Boone County? Is Clyde treatin’ ya right?” Jimmy’s smirk grew as he noticed his younger brother blushing, which also drew a chuckle from Earl’s lips.

 

“He’s treating me just fine, thanks. And everyone is very kind to me here,” Rey replied with an easy smile, squeezing Clyde’s hand gently. 

 

Jimmy looked at his brother, then back at Rey before remarking, “Good. Our Daddy taught us how to treat the ladies right, didn’t he, Clyde?”

 

“Somethin’ like that,” Clyde mumbled.

 

Luckily, Rey tugged on his hand, giving him a sunny smile before saying, “Let’s go get some food, what do you say?”

 

“Sure, we can do that,” Clyde replied – because if they were eating, they didn’t have to be talking – and talking was something that Clyde was finding difficult to do in Rey’s presence today.

 

….

 

As day stretched into night, and the fireflies came out, dotting the orange and pink horizon with their cheery light, Clyde found himself relaxing. Rey made it easy – she was just so charming with everyone he introduced her to. She also really loved to eat – leaving Clyde to wonder just where she packed all that food in her tiny frame.

 

They sat together on a bale of straw, their thighs brushing against the others as they enjoyed a piece of peach pie with vanilla ice cream on top, watching the heated game of horseshoes happening between Sam and Fish Bang. “This is so good,” Rey declared as she scraped the Styrofoam bowl clean of any traces of the dessert. Clyde smiled at her, the smile widening as he noticed the small smudge of ice cream on the corner of her mouth. Without really giving it much thought, he reached out and wiped the ice cream away with a long finger, trying not to enjoy the softness of her lips under his skin as he did so.

 

Blushing, he pulled away when Rey stilled, her eyes widening.

 

“I-oh god, I am so sorry-“ Clyde stammered, his face feeling like it was on fire now. Standing, he muttered, “I- I’m gonna go find somethin’ to drink. A lot of somethin’s.”

 

“Clyde,” Rey said, looking up at him as he stood, “It’s okay. You’re fine. Really.” She reached out, grabbing his hand again and smiling – that smile that had been making his heart stutter all damn day – before asking, “If you’re getting a beer, could you grab one for me, too, please?”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” Clyde muttered, giving her a half-smile before he loped off, returning a few moments later with two cold bottles of beer. Settling down beside her once more, Rey glanced around as she took a swallow of her beer, trying to imagine having a life this laid back.

 

She had to admit, there was something appealing about sitting next to a good-looking man, watching the fireflies dance in the night sky as she drank a cold beer. The sounds of laughter and muted conversations drifted out of the barn on the air, and the soft strains of some country song she would never have listened to any other time.

 

“Hey, Clyde?” Rey asked after she had observed people drifting towards the barn, the clean up beginning in the eating area.

 

“Yeah?” He replied, looking over at Rey.

 

“We should probably go inside and mingle. You know, so more people see us together?” Rey took another swallow of beer, and Clyde felt the familiar lump forming in his throat. 

 

_ Right. She’s only here for her job… _ Clyde thought to himself before standing and looking down at Rey.

 

“I’m supposin’ so,” he finally got out, sticking his hand out so she could slide hers into it.  _ I ain’t nothin’ to her but a means to an end, just gotta remember that. _

 

Still, as Rey stood and moved alongside him towards the barn, Clyde had a hard time remembering that she wasn’t  _ his _ , that she was only there to do a  _ job _ – because he desperately wished that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

 

….

 

The music grew louder as they drew closer to the barn, Tim McGraw singing about his next thirty years, and as they stepped inside, Mellie waved at them both, beckoning them over to her.

 

“Awww, I knew that outfit would look good on you, Rey! With your complexion, well, I just  _ knew _ it. Clyde here hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you all night, y’all are the talk of Boone County right now!”

 

Clyde let out a low groan, thankful for the music drowning out the sound.

 

“So,” Mellie said, bouncing on her feet as she looked between the two of them, “Clyde needs to teach ya how to 2-Step! We got the music for it, of course… don’t let him tell ya he can’t dance, either, Rey. He’s light on his feet for bein’ a big guy like he is – I think it was all that time in the military, myself.”

 

“Hush, Mel, Rey don’t wanna dance with me…”

 

Clyde’s face was bright red again, and he was fairly certain he had blushed more today than he ever had in his entire life. The opening chords of Brooks & Dunn’s  _ Neon Moon _ started playing, and Rey grinned at Clyde, tugging on his hand for a moment as she remarked, “Who says I don’t? Come on, Clyde, show me what you can do on the dance floor!”

 

As she pulled him towards the center of the barn, where couples were dancing, Clyde looked back at Mellie, glaring at her as she gave him a double thumbs up.

 

_ When the sun goes down… _

 

Rey watched everyone else for a moment, noting how they were stepping and holding each other before she turned towards Clyde, looking up at him and grinning. “We got this. Let’s show them all something.”

 

_ On my side of town _

_ That lonesome feeling _

_ Comes to my door _

_ The whole world turns blue… _

 

“You’ve done this before,” Clyde said, looking at Rey as they moved easily across the floor. The 2-Step wasn’t the hardest step to do, of course, but to have Rey looking like she’s been doing it all her life when it was her first time was amazing.

 

“Nope! Just a quick learner,” she said, winking at Clyde and taking great delight in watching his face color again. His mechanical hand was on her waist and his right hand was twined with hers as they danced, and he could feel heat radiating off her skin through her shirt.

 

They soon found their rhythm together, twirling and stepping across the floor as song after song played, until they were both red in the face and almost breathless. As the music faded away and the deejay announced they were tearing down to make room for the band to set up, Clyde pulled Rey off the dance floor, guiding her along and out the open back door, until they were standing outside, the rush of the Coal River a soft backdrop to a quiet, clear, starry night. The frogs were croaking merrily, adding to the ambience.

 

Rey was standing beside him, looking up at the stars in wonder, her hand still in his. Clyde also looked up, smiling as he mentally named off all the constellations he saw, something he had been doing since he was 8 and had read a book about them.

 

Pulling on her hand gently, Clyde led them even further away from the barn, where the light pollution would be even less. As Rey looked back up at the sky, she let out a soft gasp, murmuring, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars. They’re beautiful.”

 

“Yeah, they are,” Clyde answered, but he wasn’t looking at the sky – he was watching Rey.

 

Clyde paused a moment before turning Rey towards him and pulling her into his arms, murmuring, “Dance with me some more, Rey.” His hands went to her waist again, his eyes looking into hers imploringly.

 

Rey smiled up at Clyde, not resisting when he pulled her into his arms. “There’s no music,” she said softly, letting out a small laugh before getting lost in his whiskey eyes.

 

“I got you,” Clyde said softly before pulling her into his arms more, his lips a hairsbreadth from her ear as he started to sing to her softly, his voice deep and steady as he started to sway with her. “ _ I find it very, very easy to be true… I find myself alone when each day's through…Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you… Because you're mine, I walk the line…” _

 

Rey was finding it hard to breathe as Clyde started singing, his warm breath ghosting across her ear softly. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and her body seemed to fit perfectly against his as they danced in a small circle, completely lost in each other and the West Virginia night.

 

Both of them jumped when the firecrackers went off, Clyde scowling as he mentally decided he would find whoever broke the spell between them and give them a good throttling. By the sound of the laughter coming from the other side of the barn, it was one of the Bang brothers.

 

Running a hand through his hair, Clyde looked at Rey, who had jumped away from him at the intrusive noise and was looking around like she wanted to punch someone, and after a moment he asked, “Do ya wanna go get some ice cream or somethin’? There’s this little family-owned place over by Danville. They got the best soft serve in West Virginia. I mean, unless ya gotta meet more people, so ya can ask ‘em your questions easier when ya start that.” Clyde knew he was babbling nervously, looking everywhere but at Rey.

 

“Clyde,” Rey said softly, looking up at him as she grabbed his hand. “I’d love to.”

 

….

 

Flint’s Tast-T Freeze was less than a five minute drive from Madison, and the small, drive-up ice cream stand was brightly lit and inviting, a line of people waiting outside each of the four ordering windows. As Clyde and Rey stood in line, he was shocked when she slid her hand into his again, and he looked at her to find her smiling up at him. He smiled back, and as they reached the window, Rey scanned the menu for only a moment before ordering a chocolate milkshake. Clyde chuckled before ordering a chocolate cone for himself, and after they received their order, he led them to one of the small tables that were scattered along the small patio in front of the stand.

 

“Thank you,” Rey said after a few minutes of silence while they enjoyed their ice cream.

 

Clyde raised a brow to her in confusion. “For?”

 

Rey took a long pull from her straw before remarking, “I had you thrown into a holding cell overnight while I made my way here, interrogated you, accidentally locked you into a beer cooler with me, and now you are… well, you’ve been so sweet and nice and helpful. So, thank you.”

 

Clyde took a few licks of his cone before answering her. “You’re welcome. Always happy to help.”

 

They didn’t say much as they enjoyed the night air and their ice cream, and as he drove her back to her hotel, Clyde was constantly trying to remind himself that he wasn’t falling for her, that she’d be gone soon, and he’d be broken-hearted – but he knew he was already a goner. From the moment he’d laid eyes on her, he’d been hooked.

 

He brought his truck to a stop next to where her car was parked in front of her room, and as she put a hand on the door handle to open it, Clyde reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him gently. He was thankful she didn’t resist, and as his lips met hers, he was shocked when she put her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.

 

It ended as soon as it began, and as she murmured, “Good night, Clyde,” and opened the door, Clyde was left feeling cold and lonely as he sat staring at nothing for a solid five minutes, his brain malfunctioning as he replayed the kiss over and over in his mind.

 

It wasn’t until he was home and in bed that he realized he had never told her good night as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	5. I Walk The Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Burnt bacon and church can't save Clyde Logan from heartbreak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to my beautiful Beta and moodie artist - [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)! She has some beautiful stories, please check them out and give her some love!

[](https://imgur.com/Xr6s8Zm)

Clyde wasn’t surprised when he woke up the next morning to find Mellie frying some bacon and making coffee for him. It was Sunday, which meant the bar was closed, and Clyde felt a little sad knowing that he wouldn’t have a chance to see Rey there. Not that he thought she would show up or anything – but he was hoping she would.

 

Of course, maybe she never wanted to see him again after he had kissed her. Clyde hadn’t kissed all that many women in his life, but it seemed to him that Rey hadn’t complained about their kiss. In fact, he seemed to remember – with great clarity – that she had been the one to deepen the kiss, even. No, it seemed to him that if Rey had been mad about their kiss, she would have maybe socked him one, or gave him the underside of her tongue, for sure.

 

Yawning, Clyde got out of bed, stopping to use the bathroom before swiping his hair off his face and plodding out to his living room, stopping as he took in the sight of Rey, sitting at his kitchen table with a glass of orange juice and a plate of food in front of her.

 

Mellie called out from the kitchen as she flipped a pancake, “Mornin’ Clyde! I decided to cook breakfast for us before church. Rey’ll be joinin’ us. Figure that could get her in even better with the Sunday mornin’ crowd, ya know?”

 

Rey looked up from her plate, smiling almost shyly at Clyde while trying to keep her eyes on his, so she didn’t admire his body beneath the tight tee and gym shorts he apparently wore to bed. “Good morning, Clyde,” she said softly, her face coloring slightly. “I, um, Mellie showed up this morning and told me her plan, and it sounded solid. I hope you don’t mind.”

 

“Nah, I don’t mind seein’ ya, Rey. You make burnt bacon for me, Mel?” Clyde sniffed at the air, trying to judge if his sister had burned the meat sufficiently enough for him to eat it.

 

“Sit yerself down, Clyde. Ya know I did. Got some hash browns and coffee too, since y’all had a late night last night!” Mellie looked between Rey and Clyde, a small smirk coming to her lips as both of them blushed at the same time.

 

_ Mellie magic workin’ again _ , she thought to herself as she piled bacon and hash browns onto a plate before filling a mug with coffee, bringing both to the table and sitting them down in front of Clyde. He had slid into the chair right beside Rey, which Mellie noted with enthusiasm, her eyes sparkling happily. She wanted to jump up and down with excitement – but that could wait until later, after church, when Clyde and Rey were spending time together.

 

Alone time.

 

Because these two fools were sweet on each other, and Mellie wouldn’t stand for her big brother getting his heart broken again. No, all it would take was for Rey seeing Clyde all gussied up for church, and she’d be asking for a transfer, so she could move down here to be closer to them all. Mellie truly liked Rey, and, well, her brother deserved a good woman to settle down with.

 

Clyde shuffled to the table as Mellie was getting his plate around, settling into the chair next to Rey. She gave him a look from under her long eyelashes that had his heart dancing in his chest, and his face turning shades of red that were probably off the color spectrum.

 

“Hey,” he said softly. “Ya don’t gotta listen to Mellie and her ideas, ya know. Ya coulda slept in. I don’t usually go to church or nothin’. Makes me uncomfortable.” Clyde shrugged apologetically at Rey, trying not to faint when her hand came up to rest on his arm as she smiled at him.

 

“It’s ok. Mellie’s idea is good. If people see me at church with you, they’ll trust me even more. I still need to speak to a lot of them. Church makes me uncomfortable too, for what it’s worth.” Rey patted his arm before withdrawing her hand so she could shovel food into her mouth. “I swear, I am going to gain so much weight here.” Rey smiled over at Clyde, who now looked crestfallen for some reason.

 

_ I am in love with this woman _ , Clyde thought to himself as he watched Rey start to eat again, the loss of her hand on his arm making him feel suddenly sad.  _ She’s gonna be leavin’… and I am gonna have to nurse a broken heart. I better order some more Johnnie Walker Black Label with my next liquor order. I’m gonna need it. Daddy always said that was the best nurse he ever had. _

 

Clyde set to work eating, not trusting himself to say anything besides begging Rey to somehow stay in Boone County forever.

 

….

 

As Clyde emerged from his bedroom some time later, dressed in a clean black tee, topped with the only suit jacket he owned and a fresh pair of his nicest pants, he tried not to stare at the sight of Rey, dressed in a green dress that hovered just above her knees.

 

Surely God was in Boone County today, presenting himself to the masses in the form of an angel named Rey Sands.

 

Rey smiled at him, and Clyde almost felt faint in the knees, his heart dancing again in his chest as he walked further into the living room. “Ya…” Clyde swallowed hard, forcing the words out of his mouth and hoping they came out sounding legible. “Ya look gorgeous, Rey. The congregation of the Madison Baptist Church ain’t never seen an angel in person before.” His face colored, and he wanted to hide in a closet at how cheesy the words sounded.

 

If Rey thought they were cheesy, she didn’t show it, the laugh that left her lips sounding like music to his ears. “You look very handsome yourself, Clyde. I am sure all those ladies that have a crush on you will be trying to catch your eye today, seeing you like this.” Rey smiled at Clyde, mentally telling herself that she would  _ not _ punch anyone who tried flirting with this man.

 

She’d really  _ want _ to punch them, though.

 

Mellie cleared her throat, and both Rey and Clyde looked at her. “Y’all done makin’ eyes at each other so we can go?” She was practically jumping up and down with joy, and Clyde wished she would stop making the assumption that he and Rey would ever be anything more than friends – if they were even that. Clyde had to remind himself many times a day that Rey was only being nice to him so that she could get the information she needed for her case – nothing more, nothing less.

 

It was his stupid heart that had betrayed him, after all. He kept telling the damn thing to stop falling for her, but it hadn’t listened. Now he had gotten himself into a heap of trouble, because when she left, he was going to have to get good and drunk for a few nights before he would be able to try and forget about her.

 

….

 

Madison Baptist Church was a pleasant looking brick building set atop a small hill. Once they had parked and made their way inside, Rey was slightly surprised at how cheerful it was, the light-colored wood and stained glass letting in a lot of light – which somehow seemed appropriate in a so called House of God. She and Clyde slid into a pew besides Mellie, and it seemed as if everyone in the congregation turned to look at them, the Purple Lady letting out a small, stunned gasp at seeing one of “those Logan’s” in her church.

 

It was true, the Logan kids weren’t regular seekers of the word of God. The last time Clyde had set foot in this church, it had been for Sadie’s christening, and then for his Daddy’s funeral. Mellie insisted they make an appearance on Easter as a family, of course, as any good Southern family should. Beyond that, Clyde found his peace within the pages of his books or behind his bar – or, more recently, in a pair of hazel eyes he couldn’t get out of his head.

 

Sam and Fish Bang both turned to look at them, glancing at Rey and smirking before looking at each other, then at Clyde. Apparently they were still on the righteous path of God – even though they were sitting on buckets of money from the little job they had helped him and Jimmy with – because they both turned around and looked at the pulpit as Clyde scowled at them. The good Pastor made his appearance then, and even as his flock bowed their heads in prayer, the only thing Clyde could think about was the way Rey’s thigh was brushing against his, as well as her arm. Surely it wasn’t right to have carnal thoughts in a house of God – but Clyde couldn’t stop himself. As the pastor preached about staying on a Godly path so you could reap your rewards in heaven, Clyde looked over at Rey, only to find her looking back at him.  _ If I could have her,  _ Clyde thought as Rey reached out and grabbed his hand, smiling at him,  _ I’d already be reaping my rewards in Heaven. _

 

For some reason, Rey kept her hand in his during the rest of the service, and all the way out to his car afterwards. The whole county would be buzzing with the news that Clyde Logan had found himself a girl – which would make it twice as bad when she went back home.

 

As Clyde pulled out onto the street, Rey looked over at him before saying quietly, “I… I had a good time last night, Clyde.”

 

Clyde felt his face flushing as he mumbled a response, “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. I thought, maybe, we could spend time together? I mean… that would help my case, right?” Rey hated that she had to hide the fact that she simply wanted to spend time with Clyde under the guise of her work – but she couldn’t let herself get too close.

 

Clyde worked his bottom jaw as he tried to control his emotions. Of course, it was all about her job. Why wouldn’t it be? He was the idiot who let himself fall for her – it wasn’t like she had a clue how he felt or anything. “Yeah, I’m guessin’ it would. I don’t usually do nothin’ on Sundays but read, and maybe watch a movie.” Clyde shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “You’re more than welcome to hang out at my place if ya want. Gotta be better than that motel room.”

 

Rey let out a laugh, the sound like the tinkling of bells in the small space of his car. “Yeah. Plus the company is better at your place.” Rey looked over at him, winking playfully, and Clyde let a half-smile slide onto his lips as he pulled into his driveway.

 

As Rey sat next to him on the couch, her leg pressed against his as she watched a movie and he read a book, Clyde wanted to pretend that this was a normal day, that she was his girl and they were happily in love – but he had to keep reminding himself that none of that was true.

 

He was still alone, and he would probably always be alone. It was just the way of things. Sure, the Logan curse might have been broken with their heist – but his love life was still cursed, it seemed.

 

….

 

The next two weeks passed quickly, and Rey found herself in a comfortable routine – perhaps one that was becoming  _ too _ comfortable.

 

She would wake in the morning and shower, then go to the motel lobby for a cup of the most horrendous coffee she had ever consumed. She wished, every morning, that she could sneak into Clyde’s place and use his coffee maker for some  _ real _ coffee. Even though his breakfast of choice was disgusting – who ate bacon that was burnt? – the man knew, and enjoyed, his coffee.

 

He probably left his door unlocked, so she could try, she supposed, or just send a text to Mellie – who would be far too happy to let her into her brother’s house.

 

Then she would go about her business, interviewing the residents of Boone County she still needed statements from. Every single one of them always brought Clyde into their conversations.  _ ‘I am so glad to see Clyde settling down, it’s so nice that he has someone.’ ‘Them Logan boys have always been good lookin’, about time Clyde found someone.’ ’You’re a pretty little thing, Clyde got himself a looker, didn’t he?’ _

 

At the end of the day, Rey almost found it hard to look in the mirror, knowing that she would have to break Clyde’s heart soon. Of course, it wasn’t just his heart she would break, because as much as she wanted to deny it, as much as she wanted to file it away in a neat little box marked  _ People I used for the FBI to get information _ , Rey cared about him.

 

She liked to see him smile. She liked that she could  _ make _ him smile. She liked his slow, Southern drawl – and she  _ loved _ the way he said her name, like he was almost worshipping her. She would lay in bed at night, not able to sleep, and she would replay their dance in her head, over and over, the way his voice sounded as he sang to her in the dark, the way his lips had felt against hers when they kissed in his truck.

 

After she was done interviewing people, she would head over to the Duck Tape with her laptop, and she would take her spot at the end of the bar. She would listen and watch the goings on, hoping to overhear something she might be able to use while she typed up another report to email to Holdo. The bulk of her time, she had to admit, would be spent watching the really, really hot bartender as he worked. Sometimes Clyde would catch her watching him, and he would let a slow smirk come to his lips before he went back to his business.

 

After he closed the bar, he would sit and talk with her, and sometimes, if she wasn’t tired, they would go back to his house and watch tv. Rey always chose the same show –  _ Bar Rescue _ – and Clyde would pretend not to watch it, pretending to read his book, although she would hear him muttering every few minutes about something on the show. “I would never do that at my bar…” he grumbled once, “Look at ‘em, wearin’ damn pirate get-ups. That’s plain stupid.”

 

Rey’s favorite part of the day, though, was when she leaned up against him as she watched tv. She would curl her legs underneath her, and he would drape his arm around her. The man was an oven, and she loved leaning her head against his chest, hearing his heart beating steady and strong under her ear.

 

She would think about that every night as she tossed and turned in the tiny, lumpy motel bed. She was certain she would sleep like a baby next to him, listening to that heartbeat under her ear like a metronome keeping time with her own.

 

….

 

The call came as she sat at the bar, watching Clyde as he poured the eighth whiskey sour for one of the town’s drunks. Glancing at her phone, Rey winced as she saw the number before answering, her eyes meeting Clyde’s as she moved out to the porch so she could hear better.

 

“Agent Sands,” Rey said, trying to keep her tone clipped and professional.

 

“Agent Sands, this is Agent Holdo. You need to be back in the field office day after tomorrow. Conclude your business tomorrow and have your final report in from Boone County. Understood?”

 

“Yes, understood. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow in the office.” Rey felt her heart start to fracture, tiny cracks forming where veins and muscle used to be. Tears pricked her eyes, and as she turned to walk back into the bar, Earl decided to speak up.

 

“Ya know he’s gonna be heartbroken, dontcha? I ain’t never seen Clyde Logan smile more in his life than he does when you’re around. Have a safe trip back home – don’t worry, we take care of our own down here in Boone County.”

 

Rey didn’t say anything as she swept past him into the bar.

 

….

 

Something was wrong with Rey, Clyde noted as he moved around the bar, pouring the drinks for last call. The light had left her eyes after she had taken that phone call earlier, and she had barely looked at him, instead staring down at her laptop or the wooden bar top, chewing on her bottom lip.

 

_ Of course _ , Clyde told himself,  _ she’s probably going back home. Ya knew it was comin’, Logan. Ya still let yourself fall for her, you idiot. _ When the time came to watch her walk out of his life, he would take it like a man – with a nice glass of whiskey in his hand.

 

When the last stragglers had stumbled out the door for the night, Clyde wiped the bar down one last time, going through the closing checklist he had in his head before looking at Rey. “Ya comin’ over to watch that silly show some more, or are ya headin’ back to the motel?”

 

_ Please don’t leave me yet, _ Clyde thought as he watched Rey, who blinked and closed her laptop before looking up at him without the smile she usually wore.

 

“Your place, I need to finish season seven… besides, you were almost done with your book, right?” Rey said softly, clearly doing her best to tease him, although her eyes showed a sadness he hadn’t seen before.

 

“Somethin’ like that. Ya ready?”

 

“Yeah, let’s go.” Rey took a good look around as she followed Clyde to the door, trying to remember every detail of the bar in case she never saw it again – because why would she? She had a job and a life in Pittsburgh.

 

….

 

As Clyde pretended to read, and Rey pretended to watch  _ Bar Rescue _ , curled up against his warm, strong frame, they were both lost in their own thoughts, so much that when the episode they were watching ended, neither of them said anything for a long time.

 

Finally, Rey licked her lips, pulling out of the safe comfort of Clyde’s arm as she half-turned to look at him. “Clyde, I, um…”

 

Clyde looked at her, all the air leaving the room, or so it seemed.  _ This is it, _ he thought to himself.  _ This is where she tells me she’s leavin’, and I get to start nursin’ my broken heart. _

 

“You’re leavin’,” Clyde stated softly, his eyes searching hers.

 

“Yeah,” Rey breathed out softly, trying to keep the tears from leaving her eyes. “I got the call earlier. My investigation here is done, there’s nothing more for me to look into, and they want me back at the field office tomorrow – so I’ll be driving home later today.”

 

“I see,” Clyde said softly, closing his book and setting it aside.

 

“I…” Rey gulped, hating the sadness she saw in Clyde’s eyes, and knowing she was the cause of it. “I think that we should just make this as easy as possible. If you see something, or feel something is not right regarding the case, call my office phone and leave a message, okay?”

 

Clyde nodded, his chest tight and his vision starting to blur from unshed tears. Try as hard as he could, he couldn’t stop his bottom lip from quivering slightly.  _ I survived two tours in Iraq and gettin’ my arm blown off. I can survive this. _

 

“I just think it will be easier this way, not having contact anymore. Okay?” Rey’s voice was wavering, and she needed to be out of here, before she threw herself at him and kissed him again one last time. “Could you take me to my car, please? I need to be up early to get on the road.”

 

“Yeah.” Clyde stood, grabbing the keys to his truck off the end table before heading to the door.

 

Rey glanced around as she gathered up her things, again memorizing every detail of Clyde’s home – where they had spent so many hours together. Gulping, Rey followed Clyde out the door and into his truck, biting her bottom lip the whole ride to the Duck Tape to keep from crying.

 

As he pulled his truck up beside Rey’s car, Clyde stayed facing forward, not wanting to look at her for the last time.

 

“Clyde, please… look at me.” Rey’s voice was soft in the darkness, and finally Clyde turned his head slightly, unshed tears shining in his eyes as they met hers. “Thank you. For everything. For what it’s worth, I’m going to miss you.”

 

“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure helpin’ you with your case. I… I’m gonna miss you too. Drive safe back to Pittsburgh.” Clyde’s words were a slow, soft whisper, drifting through the air to her. He turned his head back to face the front of the truck, and Rey gulped before opening the door.

 

She hopped out, and as she started to close the door, two words drifted to his ears, causing his heart to finally shatter in his chest.

 

“Goodbye, Clyde.”

 

….

 

_ <Rey> Hey Mellie. I’m leaving today. Thanks for everything. _

 

Mellie Logan stared at the screen of her phone before looking out the screen door of the salon at the motel, where Rey’s car was absent, the cleaning cart of the housekeeper sitting outside the door of the small room she had been occupying.

 

Glancing at her watch, she saw she had another hour before her next client, so Mellie made her way out to her car, knowing she had to go see her brother. It wasn’t hard to track him down, especially when she saw the delivery truck parked behind the Duck Tape, and Clyde’s truck in the parking lot.

 

….

 

Clyde hadn’t slept a wink since watching Rey drive off the night before, so he opted for his next best option when he was exhausted, but sleep wouldn’t come because of the thoughts in his head – he went to work.

 

Luckily, today was a delivery day, so after he had unloaded the crates and boxes, he set to work in the beer cooler, trying not to remember how he and Rey had been locked inside it not that long ago. He had wanted to kiss her then, and when he had finally kissed her a few days later, he knew he’d never be the same.

 

He heard movement behind him, half-turning to see his sister standing in the doorway of the cooler.

 

“Hey, Mel,” Clyde said, trying to keep his voice normal in the hopes she wouldn’t notice how broken-hearted he was inside.

 

Mellie came into the cooler more, looking at the bottle in Clyde’s hand, then taking note of the other eleven bottles of the same whiskey already on the shelf. “Johnnie Black Label. Ya think that’s gonna help, Clyde?”

 

Clyde just shrugged, not saying anything as he started pulling more bottles out of their boxes and shelving them.

 

“She sent me a text telling me she was leavin’,” Mellie said softly, watching her brother’s shoulders sag slightly.

 

“Oh yeah?” Clyde mumbled, trying to keep the misery out of his voice.

 

“Ya doin’ okay, Clyde?” Mellie asked, already knowing he was a mess inside.

 

“I’ll mend, don’t worry yourself over me. I’m busy, Mel. I’ll see ya later.” Clyde didn’t usually dismiss his sister when she took the time to check on him – but he wanted to wallow in his misery alone. He wouldn’t drag anyone else into it.

 

On her way back to the salon, Mellie pulled out her phone, sending a text to Rey.

 

_ <Mellie Logan> Thought ya might want to have these, in case ya ever decide you’re missin’ someone. Take care, Rey. _

 

As she flipped through the pictures she had taken of Rey and Clyde together, Mellie sent them one by one to Rey.  _ Ain’t no way she ain’t comin’ back someday, she’s head over boots for Clyde… _ Mellie sent the last picture before putting her phone into her pocket and returning to work.

 

….

 

Rey’s phone buzzed in the center console of her car as she drove towards Pittsburgh – and away from the man she might very well  _ love _ – and she swiped at her face, where a few tears were streaming down her cheeks. She had never hated her job more than she did right now.

 

At a rest stop an hour later, Rey read Mellie’s text, the pictures of her and Clyde tearing her heart to pieces in her chest.  _ I should delete them. I don’t need them, right? I’m never going to see him again, so why do I need pictures of him? It’s just a reminder. _ Rey’s finger hovered over the delete icon, but she couldn’t do it. She wasn’t strong enough to just delete Clyde Logan out of her life yet.

 

….

 

Clyde was on autopilot the whole day, and well into his shift at the bar. He did his best to smile and make conversation with everyone, but inside he felt empty. Heartache did that to a man, though – or so his Daddy had said a long time ago.

 

After everyone had gone home for the night, Clyde sat at a corner table near the jukebox, the lights dim and one of the bottles of Johnnie Walker in front of him. He couldn’t quite recall just how many glasses he had downed already, but he was feeling good and numb as he used his good hand to thumb through the pictures Mellie had sent to him on his phone right after she’d taken them.

 

Rey, smiling up at him at the hog roast. Rey, sitting beside him on a bale of hay, both of them eyeing the other and smiling. Rey and him dancing.

 

He sighed, the same song starting over again on the jukebox. The train-like chugging of a guitar came to his ears, Johnny Cash’s deep baritone voice floating through the air and reminding him of the best dance he’d ever shared with someone, in the stillness of the West Virginia night as he sang to Rey as they moved together.

 

_ I keep a close watch on this heart of mine _

_ I keep my eyes wide open all the time _

_ I keep the ends out for the tie that binds _

_ Because you're mine, I walk the line _

 

_ I find it very, very easy to be true _

_ I find myself alone when each day is through _

_ Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you _

_ Because you're mine, I walk the line _

 

_ As sure as night is dark and day is light _

_ I keep you on my mind both day and night _

_ And happiness I've known proves that it's right _

_ Because you're mine, I walk the line _

Clyde poured himself another glass as the song started over, taking note of the fact that the sun was starting to make its appearance through the windows. The sun might be coming up for the rest of the world, but all Clyde could see was the emptiness of the night.

 

Maybe his heart would mend. Maybe someday he would delete the pictures off his phone.

 

But it wouldn’t be tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	6. Neon Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my best cheerleader/plot bunny helper-outer, [commandercrouton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton)
> 
> As always, thanks to my Beta/moodboard artist, [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite).. I don't know what I would do without her.
> 
> Also... those of you who are begging me for these crazy kids to reunite soon... I wrote this chapter quick so that I could give you just that in the next chapter - the question is... is it a PERMANENT reunion? *grins* Just remember: I always PROMISE a HEA!

[](https://imgur.com/Q1NqzcQ)

Rey stared at the small mountain of paperwork on her desk three weeks later, wishing she was back in Boone County for the millionth time. It was strange, but she had felt at home there, like she belonged. She missed the silent beauty of the hills and valleys, she missed seeing the fireflies dancing at night in the humid West Virginia air.

 

But most of all, she missed a tall bar owner with eyes like warm whiskey and a smile that made her insides melt.

 

Night time was the hardest for her. She had a month of not being alone at night, a month of being around people at Duck Tape, and two weeks of spending almost every night with Clyde after he closed the bar.

 

She missed him. She missed him so much.

 

Rey sighed, taking out her phone and pulling up the pictures from the barn dance again, letting a tiny smile grace her lips before she set her phone down to get back to work. It wouldn’t do to keep pining away over a man she’d never see again.

 

An hour later, Rey pushed away a pile of paperwork in frustration. She couldn’t concentrate, because all she could think about was Clyde. She knew she shouldn’t be – but she had thought of little else since returning to Pittsburgh. If she happened to be walking down the street and saw a tall, broad-shouldered man with black hair, she would have to stop herself from running to him and flinging herself into his arms, reminding herself it wasn’t Clyde.

 

When she finally left the office well after dark, she vowed she wouldn’t cry herself to sleep that night.

 

She broke that vow, sobbing into her pillow until sleep overtook her.

 

….

 

Hours turned into days, days into weeks, and life remained much the same in Boone County, West Virginia. Clyde went between home, the library and the Duck Tape, trying not to let himself spiral into despair and heartbreak. Mellie did her best to keep him occupied, but everyone in the county knew by now.

 

The pretty little FBI agent had up and left, and broken Clyde Logan’s heart.

 

The smile that came so easily to Clyde when Rey was around was all but absent now, and most nights, after closing the bar, he would stay until the sun came up, drinking and thinking. He would pull out his phone more times than he could count, typing out a message to Rey before deleting it.

 

Nothing was right, and Clyde just wanted Rey.

 

He thought about going to Pittsburgh to see her – but she had told him she wanted to sever ties with him to make things easier on him. Of course, it wasn’t working. He just missed her, and the ache in his heart just got bigger and bigger every day.

 

….

 

Mellie Logan walked into the Duck Tape before going to the salon the next morning, shaking her head as she found her brother passed out cold, his forehead against his desk in the office of the bar. Shaking him awake gently, Mellie waited until he sat up, looking at her with swollen, bloodshot eyes.

 

“C’mon, Clyde. Let’s get ya home so ya can sleep this off before tonight,” Mellie sighed, wishing she could throttle Rey Sands. As much as she truly liked her, if Rey had really wanted to be with Clyde, she would have found a way. Pittsburgh was not that far away – a good three to four hours, depending on how fast you drove. It would have been nothing for Rey to drive down on the weekends to spend time with Clyde – but instead, she chose to cut him off completely. In Mellie’s mind, if you were in love with someone, you couldn’t just walk away and never look back. It just didn’t work like that.

 

Once she had her brother tucked away in bed, Mellie sent Rey another text as she sat in her car outside the salon.

 

_ <Mellie> I know ya ain’t gonna respond, Rey, and that’s fine. But Clyde ain’t doing so good. If you care about him like I know ya do… would ya at least consider sendin’ him a message or somethin’? Ain’t right, to fall in love with a man and just walk outta his life. Ya take care now, Rey. _

 

….

 

Rey’s phone chimed as her fingers danced across her computer keyboard, typing out yet another report. She glanced down at it, recognizing the area code, and as she picked it up, she felt her heart thumping in her chest.  _ Please let it be Clyde saying he misses me. _

 

As Rey read Mellie’s message, her heart sank to her feet. Of course, Clyde wouldn’t be doing well. Rey knew he had feelings for her, she could see it every time he looked at her. Those beautiful, soulful eyes of his made it impossible for him to mask whatever it was he was feeling at the time.

 

Rey was the opposite though. She had been trained to mask her feelings, to never let anyone know what she was feeling inside. It served her well in her career, but definitely not in her personal life.

 

Sighing, Rey went back to work, wishing things could have been different, and that she was in Boone County right now, watching  _ Bar Rescue _ and trying not to smirk at Clyde pretending not to watch it with her.

 

_ It’s better this way, Rey. Yes, he is hurt. Yes, you miss him like crazy – but that will all go away over time. You know it will. _

 

As much as she repeated that same mantra to herself, Rey wasn’t sure if it was true. Something was telling her she wouldn’t forget Clyde Logan.

 

….

 

Clyde woke in a liquor-induced haze from a dream, blinking sleepily in the early afternoon light shining in his windows. It had been a good dream, one he was disappointed to find wasn’t real. Of course, he had been with Rey, and they had been happy – she was in his arms, wearing some frilly dress, and he had been singing to her again as they swayed together, the fireflies twinkling in the dark around them. She hadn’t had to tell him she loved him as she kissed him, the dream Clyde just  _ knew _ she did.

 

And now he was awake, and hung-over – and struck with the realization that Rey was gone once more, and he was lonelier than he had ever been in his life.

 

As he started his day with a pot of coffee and some burnt bacon and hash browns, Clyde resisted the urge to reach out to Rey. While she may have thought her ‘no contact’ idea would make it easier on them both, it didn’t. Even if he could just  _ talk _ to her again, it would help. Instead, Clyde pushed his phone away, trying to distract himself with reading until he had to open the bar.

 

….

 

Much later that night, Clyde sat at his typical table near the jukebox long after the bar was closed, an almost empty bottle of whiskey and an empty glass in front of him. The jukebox was playing Brooks & Dunn’s  _ Neon Moon _ , and Clyde felt like that particular song spoke to him.

 

_ I think of two young lovers _

_ Running wild and free _

_ I close my eyes _

_ And sometimes see _

_ You in the shadows _

_ Of this smoke-filled room _

 

_ No telling how many tears _

_ I've sat here and cried _

_ Or how many lies _

_ That I've lied _

_ Telling my poor heart _

_ She'll come back someday _

_ Oh, but I'll be alright _

_ As long as there's light _

_ From a neon moon _

 

Clyde still couldn’t look at the end of the bar where Rey had taken up residence on an almost nightly basis without choking up. He knew it was stupid, he was a grown man, after all. He had a life here – a pretty good life, actually. He had a family, friends, and his bar.

 

But he still wanted Rey. She had gotten into his heart, and that wasn’t something that happened easily with him.

 

Glancing at his phone, Clyde struggled to type out a message to her. He had done this before, but tonight… tonight he might send it. It took him some time, between deciding what to say, the tears in his eyes, his inebriated state… and his huge fingers.

 

_ <Clyde> Hi Rey. Hope u r ok _

 

He hit send and blinked back tears before setting his phone down to fill his glass with whiskey once more.

 

….

 

Rey was dreaming about him again. It wasn’t a nightly occurrence, and it wasn’t entirely unpleasant, either. Maybe it was her brain’s way of helping her through the loneliness and pain of leaving Clyde behind. In this dream, Clyde was working behind the bar at the Duck Tape, and he was laughing and introducing everyone to ‘his girl, Rey’. Dream Clyde looked at her, smiling, and as he said, ‘You should check your phone, Rey,’ she heard the chime of an incoming text message, which brought her into a half-awake kind of fugue state.

 

Oh, how she wished her dream was true, and she was sitting at the Duck Tape again every night with Clyde.

 

Grabbing her phone, Rey stared at the screen for a solid minute before swiping at her eyes to make sure she was fully awake. Her heart started a happy trip as she read the text again, a smile on her lips. She knew she had told him no contact – but she missed him. Something was off, though, and Rey chewed on her lip a moment as she thought, recalling Mellie’s text to her. 

She knew Clyde Logan well by this point – and he was well-spoken and well-written. They had shared countless text messages between them while she was in Boone – Clyde would never use abbreviations like he had in this text.

 

Typing out a quick response, Rey hit send and waited for his reply, a sad smile on her lips and her heart tripping happily in her chest.

 

_ <Rey> Hey, Clyde. Is your overly large hand causing you a problem, or are you drunk? _

 

Clyde hadn’t expected Rey to answer his text. Mellie had gotten nothing but radio silence from her, but as his phone beeped to indicate a message, Clyde opened his half-closed eyes a bit wider, gaping at the screen. He swiped at his eyes with his good hand, and even picked up the phone, bringing it closer to his face for a more thorough inspection.

 

It was her. It was Rey. A grin came to his lips, and after much fumbling, he somehow managed to type out a response.

 

_ <Clyde> Yes maam _

 

_ <Rey> Which one? _

 

_ <Clyde> I miss you so muc. Come back 2 me. _

 

Rey grinned as she read Clyde’s last message,  _ he missed her _ . She had figured he might be so upset with her that maybe he had decided she wasn’t worth his time or heartache, but Mellie’s texts had told her otherwise.

 

He was so sweet, and she was certain he would make the best boyfriend in the world.

 

Not that she’d thought about it, of course.

 

Not that often, anyways.

 

Rey didn’t know who she was trying to fool anymore, because she wished with everything in her that she could be Clyde’s girlfriend. She typed out a response finally, pulling her comforter up on her more as she snuggled into her mattress, yawning sleepily.

 

_ <Rey> Drunk then. Drink some water. Go to sleep, it’s 0430. FBI orders. _

 

_ <Clyde> Yea maam. Come home and order me round mort _

 

Clyde’s text came after ten long minutes. Rey could picture him fumbling with his phone as he tried to type a response. She tried not to ponder those long fingers or strong hands of his, and what they could potentially feel like against her skin – but she failed.

 

When had she fallen so hard for him?

 

Rey waited five minutes to reply, and when Clyde read it, his face lit up again with a wide grin, and his heart felt like maybe it was starting to draw it’s pieces back together in his chest.

 

_ <Rey> I miss you too. _

 

….

 

If anyone noticed that Clyde Logan wasn’t as sullen as he had been for about a month, they didn’t say anything. Maybe they figured he had simply burnt his heartache away with whiskey, or maybe they all thought he was a good actor, now that he’s had time to come to terms with his pretty city gal leaving him.

 

Clyde was simply more cheerful because  _ Rey missed him too. _

 

That had to mean something, right? Of course, she could miss him as a friend, but Clyde didn’t think so. He had seen the look in her eyes as she got out of his truck the night before she left. She hadn’t wanted to leave.

 

He wished she had stayed. He knew her career was important, though, and he wasn’t a selfish man. He wanted Rey happy, and if it took her being in Pittsburgh, so be it. He would simply keep the fact that she missed him, and his suspicions that her feelings ran deeper than she admitted to himself, tucked away in his heart.

 

That night, as he was back in the office checking inventory and ordering what he needed, he typed out a message to Rey once more.

 

_ <Clyde> Friends? _

 

Her answer came quickly, as if she was waiting for his text.

 

_ <Rey> Friends. _

 

….

 

While Clyde was tempted to text Rey more, he was patient, not wanting to bombard her with texts like the lovesick fool he truly was. He wasn’t sure what the protocol for friendly texting was, nor did he want to ask his sister. No use giving her false hope – because Mellie would take the information that he and Rey were in contact again and run wild with it.

 

He waited two weeks before texting her again.

 

_ <Clyde> So, there’s this thing coming up. I was hoping you might come down and go with me. It’s my high school reunion. _

 

Clyde hit send before tucking his phone away in his pocket to stock the beer cooler. He figured he already knew the answer – but if Rey for some reason said yes – well, Clyde Logan would be the happiest man in Boone County, West Virginia.

 

_ <Rey> Sorry, Clyde, that’s not a good idea. _

 

Even though he had expected her answer, it still stung a lot more than he wanted to admit.

 

….

 

He didn’t notice the car until two weeks later. It was one of those sleek, shiny cars you just didn’t see in Boone County. It was a city folk’s car, and it had Connecticut license plates on it. He wouldn’t have paid much attention to it, sitting on Main Street in front of the pharmacy, but the last time he had seen a car like that, someone had gotten whacked in the back lot of his bar, and he had spent the night in jail because of it.

 

This could be important to Rey’s case, and people could be in danger.

 

Clyde gave it three days, just to see if the car moved, and when it didn’t, he called the office number that Rey had given her, his heart racing just a little in hearing her voice as it connected him to her voicemail. “Hey, um, R-Agent Sands. This here is Clyde Logan, down in Boone County. We got a suspicious vehicle sitting around here, dunno if it is important to your case or not, but I wanted ya to know. I believe ya have my number if ya need more info. Take care now.” Clyde disconnected the call, his eyes going to the car once more as he drove to the Duck Tape.

 

….

 

Rey hadn’t expected to hear Clyde’s voice when she accessed her voicemail later that day, his soft, dulcet voice sending her heart thrumming. He was right – this was something she needed to check out, especially if whoever had killed Jimmy Fellini was back in Boone County.

 

It only took her a half hour to obtain permission to go back to Boone County from Holdo, and Rey found herself in her car an hour after that – headed back to a place that she may have started to consider home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	7. Friends In Low Places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens as Rey makes her way back to Boone County - and Clyde might be _just a tad_ happy to see her!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is currently consuming my soul. I am going to attempt to update it once or twice a week until it is done! *sobs*
> 
> Thanks as always to my amazing beta and moodboard artist - [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)

[](https://imgur.com/cRomkY7)

Rey left Pittsburgh at one in the afternoon, after packing hastily and making sure she had an abundant amount of snacks for the drive. Speeding was not something she normally did, but the panic she felt in her heart about Clyde and her friends potentially being in danger seemed to push her foot down on the accelerator more than usual.

 

_ No one better hurt him. He needs to be okay, dammit. What the hell is wrong with you, Rey? It’s a damn case – chill out. _

 

Rey was good at two things, truly; waiting, and lying to herself.

 

As she rolled into Boone County four hours later, Rey tried to ignore the sense of peace and belonging that washed over her, the feeling that she was coming home after being away on a business trip. As she pulled into the parking lot of the Duck Tape, Rey took a moment to collect herself – because less than fifty feet away was a long, tall, beyond handsome bartender that had her heart already hammering in her chest.

 

Finally, Rey thought she was ready, and as she stepped onto the porch, Earl smirked at her from his usual spot near the front door. “Welcome back. Somehow knew you’d come back to ole Clyde. Maybe now he’ll stop bein’ a silly lovesick drunk.”

 

“I’m not back,” Rey muttered before stepping inside, her eyes immediately going to behind the bar, where Clyde stood with his back to her, pouring a drink for someone on the opposite side of the bar. He turned, his eyes locking with hers with laser focus, and time seemed to stop as he used his good hand to launch him up and over the bar, rushing forward to gather her into his arms.

 

“Rey, ya came back to me. I missed ya so much,” Clyde said softly, the words only meant for her to hear.

 

Rey put her arms around Clyde, burying her face in his shoulder as she choked back tears. “We’ll talk later, Clyde, at your place. Okay?” Rey whispered before pulling away, his slight nod the only clue she had that he had heard her.

 

“You had called about a strange vehicle?” Rey inquired loud enough for anyone who might be listening to overhear. At this point, everyone had turned to look at them, Clyde’s vaulting act over the bar having drawn people’s attention. 

 

Even now, Rey could hear them whispering, ‘ _ Well, would ya look at that? Clyde’s gal came back. I thought he was gonna be pinin’ over her forever.’ _

 

Rey decided to ignore them, of course. They’d know soon enough that she wasn’t Clyde’s gal, and that she was only here on business. Straightening her shirt, Rey looked at Clyde, waiting for him to answer.

 

“Yeah. Been this fancy car sittin’ in front of the pharmacy. Got out-of-state plates, and no one knows who it belongs to. It looks like one of them city folk’s cars.” Clyde’s eyes never left Rey’s, tears shimmering in the corners and threatening to spill over. “I figgered ya might need to check it out for your case and all…” Clyde shrugged before looking around. “If ya can wait for a few minutes, I can show ya where it is.”

 

Rey smiled at him softly. “I know where the pharmacy is, thanks.” Leaning in, Rey said softly, “Is the door to your trailer unlocked? I figured I could wait there for you.”

 

Clyde offered her a slight nod of his head, reminding himself that she was only here to work on her case more – not to see him. “It is. No need to lock our doors ‘round here.”

 

Rey gave him another smile, and Clyde’s heart stuttered in his chest as she said, “I’ll see you there later then, alright?”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” Clyde said, ignoring the voice in his head that was happily whispering to him,  _ She’s come back home to you. _ As she walked out the door, Clyde sighed, knowing he was probably going to have to prepare himself for his heart breaking even more once she left again. 

 

_ She ain’t yours, Logan. She ain’t never gonna be yours. _

 

Clyde tried to focus on working, but after an hour filled with two spilled drinks and a shattered bottle of Miller Lite, he looked over to the other bartender working, a single mom named Carrie Jo who had been working for him for a couple years now, raising a brow to her as she shook her head at her boss. “Go home, Clyde. Ya know I can close ‘er up just fine. Go home to your gal, I know ya missed her somethin’ fierce. And before ya say she ain’t your gal, we all know better. Even if it ain’t official anymore, y’all belong to each other in your hearts. Some things are just obvious.”

 

“Ya sure ya can handle it? I can call in Jerry, see if he can fill in for a few hours…” Clyde started in, stopping as Carrie Jo smacked him on the shoulder lightly.

 

 “Clyde Logan! Get yer tail home to yer gal. We’ll be fine here!”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” Clyde said with a tiny grin, making short time of grabbing his keys and getting to his truck.

 

….

 

Rey surveyed the sleek black BMW with an observant eye, taking in every detail about the vehicle before getting pictures of it for her case file. Connecticut plates were definitely not something you saw in Boone County, and Clyde’s instincts had been right to call her. Rey knew she had to walk a fine line here, because the need to protect Clyde from any danger was at the forefront of her brain, coupled with a fierce need to just  _ be _ with him and talk about their feelings for each other.

 

She couldn’t let those feelings interfere with protecting him, though. She had to keep him safe until she could figure this out. If there was a danger here, she needed to be firing on all cylinders, not half-drunk in love with him.

 

She could compartmentalize. She had to. His safety came first, their feelings could wait.

 

After documenting every detail and taking photographic and video documentation and calling in a search on the license plate, Rey made her way back to Clyde’s house to wait for him. As she settled herself onto the couch, she sighed contentedly. It was strange, the way his house was more home to her than her own apartment back in Pittsburgh. Grabbing the remote for the television, Rey flipped through the channels, her legs curled under her as she waited impatiently for Clyde to walk in the door – because then everything would be right in her world again.

 

….

 

Clyde was stunned he didn’t get a speeding ticket as his truck rocketed down the road towards his trailer. He would have gladly paid any fine the judge imposed on him if it meant he got home to Rey that much faster. Practically vaulting out of the truck, Clyde ran onto his front porch, making himself pause for a moment so he didn’t appear to be the lovestruck idiot he truly was inside. Taking in a deep breath, he opened his front door and stepped inside, a smile coming to his lips as he caught sight of Rey sitting on his couch, her legs folded under her as she watched something on tv.

 

“Hey,” Clyde said softly, as Rey’s eyes met him and a smile came to her lips as well.

 

“Hey there,” Rey replied, patting the seat cushion next to her on the couch. “Saved your place for you.”

 

“I see that,” Clyde crossed the room and settled himself into the couch, looking over at Rey and smiling wider at the sight of her, sitting next to him on his couch again. This, this was his version of happiness – even though he knew it couldn’t last.

 

He would take what he could get before it all went to hell again.

 

“How long ya here for this time around?” Clyde asked softly, his eyes searching hers.  _ Forever. Say ya ain’t leavin’ again… _ He thought to himself, even though he knew she would leave again.

 

“A day or so, until I can figure out what’s going on with that car. Would you mind if I stay here, in your guest bedroom?” Rey looked at Clyde, hoping he would say yes, and telling herself that it wasn’t because she wanted to be with him as much as possible, but because it would be easier to protect him if he was in danger. “I’d be easier to keep an eye on things if this is related to my case, to make sure you’re safe.”

 

The light that had been sparking in Clyde’s bourbon eyes dimmed a little with her last words, and he cleared his throat before answering. “That’d be fine. Anythin’ ta help your case along. I’m sure you’re anxious to get yourself back to Pittsburgh.”  _ Away from me, of course. You’re an idiot, Logan. _

 

“Clyde…” Rey said softly, her eyes trying to convey the things she wanted to say, but couldn’t.

 

“Yes ma’am?”

 

“Let’s… talk about that later, okay? After I know you’re safe. Right now, let’s just watch tv. We were on season six, I think, right?” Rey smirked at Clyde as she queued up  _ Bar Rescue _ , watching as he shook his head slightly and grabbed the book he was reading off the end table. She started the show, moving closer to him and sighing as she leaned into him, his arm going around her shoulders and pulling her closer.

 

_ I’m home. This could be my home.  _ He _ could be my home. _

 

They were halfway through the second episode, Rey snickering once more at Clyde pretending not to watch, when her stomach protested its emptiness rather loudly, Clyde’s eyes flickering over to hers as he smiled. “Ya want I should order us one of those artery-cloggin’ pizzas ya love from Giovanni’s?”

 

Rey grinned. “I dreamt about that after I went home. I’ll go halfsies with you on it.”

 

“Nah, I got it, Rey.” Clyde pulled his phone out, placing the order before tucking the phone away again on the end table, his arm going back around her. “Go back to watchin’ your silly show, it’ll be here soon enough.” Clyde grinned at her again, and Rey’s heart raced in her chest.

 

_ I love this man… oh my god… I really love this man. _

 

The realization hit Rey like a lead iron to the brain. She was in love with Clyde Logan – and she had no idea what to do about it.

 

….

 

After stuffing themselves on pizza that Clyde was certain would give them both heart disease at some point, he and Rey fell right back into the comfortable rhythm they had established before she had gone back to Pittsburgh. She just felt so safe by his side, even though she was supposed to be the one making sure he was safe.

 

She was dozing, drifting in a sea of warmth that Clyde’s chest provided when a loud knock sounded at the door, causing her to jerk awake, Clyde murmuring, “Shhh, darlin’, I’ll see to it,” before he stood to go to the front door. Rey let out a tiny whimper at the loss of her more-than-comfortable, temporary pillow, coming fully awake when she heard an obnoxiously loud voice coming from the front porch.

 

“Clyde Logan! I haven’t seen you in a coon’s age! How are you, old buddy?” The smacking of skin against fabric told her that someone was enthusiastically thumping someone else’s back in a bro hug, and as she stood, Clyde came back to the living room, a blonde man with unsettling green eyes following him. The man looked her over before smiling at her, and Rey felt a shiver course through her body.

 

This man was trouble – and Rey was instantly on alert. How did her Clyde know him?

 

“Rey, this is my buddy from the Army, Alex Samuels. Alex, this is my… friend… from Pittsburgh, Rey.” Clyde smiled at Rey before heading to the fridge to grab a couple of beers, along with a bottle of water for Rey.

 

“So, whatcha doin’ in Boone, Alex?” Clyde asked after they had both settled into chairs at the kitchen table, Rey opting to sit on the couch as she pretended to watch television. In truth, she was listening to the conversation a few feet away, while acting like she wasn’t paying attention. She could feel Alex’s eyes on her, causing a cold rush through her veins. She didn’t like him, and he was definitely making her hackles rise for some reason.

 

“Ah, working with a construction crew down in Lynchburg starting next week. Figured I’d come visit my old buddy and see what trouble I could get into for a few days. You mind if I bunk here for a few days, Clyde?”

 

“Well, ya see, Rey’s usin’ the guest room, and no one sleeps in Sadie’s room but her,” Clyde said softly, and Rey could sense Alex’s eyes on her again.

 

“Oh, you and her aren’t together?” Alex asked, taking a long drink from his bottle. Leaning in closer to Clyde, Alex remarked, “She’s cute, man, if you’re not trying to get her into bed with you, there’s something wrong with you.”

 

Rey could barely make out the words, bristling inside.

 

Clyde took a drink from his bottle before remarking, “Ain’t none of your business, Alex. Keep it that way. If ya want, ya can pitch a tent in the backyard. I got one out in the shed, and a spare sleeping bag.”

 

“I got my gear in the trunk of my car, that’d be fine, Clyde. Thanks, man,” Alex remarked. He finished his beer with another long swallow, standing and slapping Clyde on his shoulder. “I’ll go grab my gear. See you in the morning?”

 

Clyde nodded. “Yep. Lemme know if ya need anythin’. Back door’ll be open.”

 

Alex nodded, headed to the front door, stopping and looking at Rey for a moment, a smile that didn’t go to his eyes coming across his face. “Nice to meet you, Rey. I’m guessing I’ll see you tomorrow too.”

 

“I’m sure you will,” she replied, offering him a tight-lipped smile in return as he headed out the front door.

 

As Clyde joined her again on the couch, she burrowed herself into his side again, and if she was a little closer than normal – like she was a protective blanket over him – he didn’t seem bothered by it.

 

….

 

Rey woke the next morning to the smell of bacon frying and the laughter of people coming from the kitchen. She stretched before getting herself ready for the day and shuffling into the kitchen in bare feet.

 

“Mornin’, Rey,” Clyde said, looking up from his cup of coffee with a smile on his face. She smiled back, sliding into a chair at the table as Clyde set a cup of coffee and a plate of food down in front of her.

 

“Thanks,” she mumbled, not quite awake enough to start a conversation. Instead, she listened once more to the two men trading stories, jokes and insults, and after she had finished eating, she made her way to her room, where she used her secure phone and it’s internet connection to send an email to Holdo – letting her know that she would be staying a few extra days to look into Alex Samuels and his past.

 

Clyde left at noon to unload the delivery truck, leaving Rey to her own devices – which unfortunately meant she was alone with Alex until Clyde returned. As she sat in the living room, in her normal spot, Alex claimed the chair across the room from her, eyeing her for a few minutes before he said, “So, you’re not with Clyde then?”

 

“We’re friends,” Rey answered, her unease growing by the second. She wanted to finger the knife in her pocket, or the small pistol she kept hidden away under her shirt. She had been trained to trust her gut instincts, and they were telling her she needed to always be wary around this man.

 

“Good. Maybe I could take you out sometime for a beer?” Alex looked at her, and Rey wanted to get as far away as possible from him. He made her skin crawl.

 

“No thanks. I appreciate the offer though,” Rey said, hoping that would be enough to make him go away.

 

“I can be pretty convincing when I see something I want, you see. Just remember that.” Alex stood, smiling at her once more before he turned and headed out the back door. “Have a good day, Rey,” he called over his shoulder.

 

When Rey left to go help Clyde at the Duck Tape an hour later, she made sure to lock the door to her room, just in case. She would get to the bottom of the mystery of Alex Samuels – because she had a suspicion it worked into her case somehow. At least it gave her a few more days with Clyde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	8. Bad Moon Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens... who, exactly, is Alex Samuels?
> 
> Also - the bed of a truck makes for a good sleeping area. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you are enjoying this little tale. I have watched Logan Lucky more times than probably anyone else on Earth, trying to make sure I get Clyde's (AKA MY HUSBAND) mannerisms and speech correct. Let me know what you all think!
> 
> As always, thanks to my beta and moodboard goddess, without whom I would never post a thing, [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)!
> 
> Also, thanks need to go to my main purveyor of plunnies, and my secret keeper for almost all my fics. Honestly - I would never write again without her, probably! [Commandercrouton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton)... You are my cheerleader and I love you!
> 
> Also, Daga and my other sisters in Thirst in The Thirst Order... you guys are my heart and soul, my family, and I love you all!

The Duck Tape was busy, and as Rey sat at her usual spot at the end of the bar, she couldn’t help but smile up at Clyde as he pushed a glass of soda towards her.

“Ya eat anythin’ yet?” Clyde asked in that soft baritone of his that made her completely and utterly fall under his spell every time she heard it.

She shook her head softly, looking at the door as Alex stepped through it. Instantly, her hackles rose, and Rey felt her alertness raise even higher, her instincts once more telling her there was something dangerous about this man.

How could her sweet, kind Clyde be friends with someone like that?

Looking back up at Clyde, she saw his gaze drift to Alex as well, his eyes concerned as he looked at her. “Ya okay, darlin’?” As Alex approached them, Rey simply nodded, swallowing hard as Alex smiled at Clyde, reaching across the bar to smack his friend on the shoulder.

“How about a beer, buddy? Do you still make those nachos in the kitchen?” Alex looked over at her, winking, and Rey felt nausea bloom in her stomach. Clyde looked between the two of them, his eyes going from their normal warmth to something that Rey could only describe as _protective_.

“Yeah, how ‘bout ya go sit over at a table and I’ll get your order in?” Clyde said slowly, his eyes staying on Rey’s the whole time. His eyes shifted from protective to _possessive_ as Alex turned his eyes to Rey, smiling at her in a way that made her skin crawl.

“I’ll sit right here and keep Rey company, if that’s ok,” Alex said, the smile staying on his face, even as his eyes glinted with something dangerous.

Rey tilted her chin just enough to signal Clyde that he should drop the matter, and she breathed out a sigh of relief as he mumbled, “Alright then, I’ll get your order in.”

“Would you like to dance, Rey? I know they have some good tunes on that jukebox over there.” Alex’s voice was like sandpaper to her ears, and she instinctively leaned away from him as he spoke. “I mean, while I’m waiting for my order and all. Do you like to dance?”

“I do. But my preferred dance partner is this guy right here. Right, Clyde?” Rey smiled at Clyde as he came back to bring Alex his beer.

“I do recall us sharin’ some dances,” Clyde said, his eyes lighting up at the memory of the barn dance. Rey’s heart started beating a little faster as she remembered as well, and a grin came to her lips finally.

“Maybe we could share another dance when you have a minute to spare?”

Clyde’s eyes sparkled, a small grin coming to his lips as he drawled, “For you, I got all the time in the world, darlin’. I am the boss, after all, and if I wanna take a few minutes to dance with my girl, I will. Shall we?”

“We shall!” Rey smiled up at him, and as he came around the bar, she felt her heart rate pick up more, the anticipation of having his strong arms around her once more almost enough to make her jump at him.

“I got the perfect song in mind,” Clyde murmured as he grabbed her hand, leading her over near the jukebox. He stopped to dig a quarter out of his pocket, feeding it into the coin slot, and as he punched in the numbers for the song he wanted, Rey glanced over at Alex, who was watching them with narrowed eyes.

The opening strains of Brad Paisley’s _"She’s Everything”_ drifted through the air as Clyde turned to face Rey, pulling her into his arms and close to his tall, muscled frame.

As they started swaying together in small circles, Rey looked up at Clyde, the lyrics to the chorus of the song evident in his eyes as he looked down at her.

_And she's everything I ever wanted_

_And everything I need_

_I talk about her, I go on and on and on_

_'Cause she's everything to me_

 

 “Clyde,” Rey said softly as they moved together.

“Yeah, darlin’? What’s botherin’ ya?” Clyde had known she was upset since the moment she had shown up at the Duck Tape this afternoon. By now, he could read his Rey like a book – and if there had been a college degree in Rey Sands, he was pretty certain he’d have at least a Bachelor’s degree. Hopefully, someday, he’d earn his PhD – but he’d need her help for that, and well, he wasn’t certain she’d ever agree to it.

Rey licked her lips as she watched Clyde’s face. His eyes were so damn expressive that she couldn’t help but want to look into them all the time, just to have the warmth and love in his gaze bathe her in feelings she shouldn’t allow herself to feel for him.

“Alex makes me nervous. Right after you left, he asked me out. How much do you know about him?” Rey felt Clyde stiffen, his good hand clenching into a fist on her hip.

“Imma kill that son of a bitch… no way he’s gonna try’n steal ya away from me…” Clyde breathed out softly. “Sorry,” Clyde mumbled, his face coloring as he realized how his words must have sounded to Rey. “I, um, I know we’re… ya know… we’re not together or anythin’. Sorry.”

Rey’s heart clenched painfully at the brief flash of pain in Clyde’s eyes as he spoke. Without thinking about it, one of her hands came up, her palm resting on his cheek as she kept her gaze locked with his. “We both know there’s something between us, Clyde, okay? I told you we’d talk about it, and we will. That slimeball isn’t going to steal anyone from you.”

He visibly relaxed at her words, one corner of his lips curving up in a half-smile. “I was hopin’ ya’d say somethin’ like that. Figured it was all a dream when ya left me before.”

“It’s not a dream, Clyde. I promise.”

….

After their dance, Clyde kept an eye on his old friend carefully, trying to discern why Alex was so set on trying to woo Rey. He had to admit, he was acting very strangely, and Clyde had seen him around plenty of other women before.

After another two hours had passed, Clyde pulled one of his more trusted employees, Carrie Jo, to the side, asking her if she would mind staying an extra hour until another bartender could come in and close. Normally, Clyde would be the one there – but he wanted to get Rey away from Alex, so they could spend some time together. Of course, Carrie Jo was all but thrilled to see her boss so happy, and she agreed easily to Clyde’s plan.

With a smile on his face that was rarely seen when Rey wasn’t around, Clyde approached her, leaning over the bar as he asked, “Wanna get outta here?”

“You bet your ass I do!” Rey smiled up at Clyde, standing and downing the last of the drink in her glass and resisting the urge to give Alex the finger. Grabbing Clyde’s hand after he rounded the bar, Rey tried to ignore the smirks on almost everyone in the bar – they all were probably far more involved in she and Clyde’s relationship than they were.

….

After stopping at a tiny roadside burger stand, Clyde drove out of town, turning down a dirt road and then onto a small, overgrown trail that Rey was surprised was big enough for his truck. The trail ended in a small clearing that butted up against the banks of the Little Coal River. Rey smiled at the sight, and as Clyde somehow managed to turn his truck around so that the bed was facing the water, Rey glanced at him curiously.

He hopped out, coming around to open her door with a smile. “C’mon. We’ll set on the tailgate and eat,” he drawled softly, a blush coming to his face, the small flash of his ear she caught through his shock of black hair, bright red as well.

“Sounds lovely,” Rey said as she got out of the truck.

As they perched on the tailgate of the truck, watching dragonflies dance along the banks of the river, the movement of the water creating a refreshing backdrop to the chirping birds and the distant sounds of cars rushing down the road, Rey looked over at Clyde as they ate.

Rey had realized she was in love with this man – but what should she do about it now? She lived four hours away, and she travelled a lot for work. She would never ask Clyde to leave Boone County – this was his home, and his roots were embedded deep within its soil.

“I missed you, you know,” Rey said softly, reaching over to steal a fry from the paper boat sitting next to Clyde. Grinning, she shoved it in her mouth, watching as he shook his head, his own smile coming to his lips as he met her eyes.

“Did ya? Cuz, ya know, the whole no contact thing ‘bout drove me insane, Rey.” Clyde blushed again, and Rey sighed at the sadness she saw in his eyes with his admission. “I… well… I took to drinkin’ some, just so I didn’t have to feel nothin’, ya know? I know I was wrong for doin’ that, but I missed ya so much, seemed the right thing to do.” Clyde took a long drink from his cup, his eyes looking out over the river. “I know I shouldn’ta gotten so attached to ya, Rey. But…” Clyde shrugged. “I did, and here we are. I know I ain’t got no chance with someone like ya, but that’s my burden to bear myself.”

“Oh, Clyde,” Rey put a hand on his upper arm, and she felt him flinch slightly at her touch. “You know I don’t care about your arm, right? I care about _you_! You have such a good heart, and you’re so smart. I love talking to you, and you make me feel safe and cared for. No one has ever done that for me before.”

Her hand rubbed his arm in small circles, just above where his prosthetic arm attached. She watched him work his jaw nervously before he took another bite of his food, his eyes still surveying the river as he processed everything in that beautiful brain of his. Rey loved watching him think, because she knew underneath that slow, gentlemanly Southern drawl and mannerisms was an intelligent, quick mind.

“I…” Clyde started to speak finally, before shutting his mouth once more, the words he wanted to say were ones he couldn’t dare say to her – because she would be leaving him again soon – and if he told her how he truly felt about her, if he gave his feelings a voice – he would be done for. So, he said them silently, where only his soul and his heart could hear them.

_I love you. I want you to stay. I want a damn future with you. I want you to love me back._

Clyde took another drink from his cup without finishing whatever was on his mind, and Rey sighed, keeping up the soft caress on his upper arm.

“I don’t trust Alex,” Rey said softly, her own eyes looking out over the water now. “Something about him puts me on edge, and it’s not just the fact that he hit on me. How well do you know him, Clyde?”

“Ah, ‘bout as well as I know most people, I suppose. We were in the same unit in the Army for a long time. Then he took a bullet in his leg and got to go home ‘bout a week ‘fore I lost my arm. He’s good with the gals, y’know. Smooth. They all think he’s good-lookin’. He’s a good fella, from what I know of him. Haven’t seen ‘em in years, though, til yesterday.” Clyde glanced over at her, blushing again before he said, “I don’t like the way he looks at ya. Makes me wanna punch him one.”

Rey smiled gently at Clyde, her hand moving up to brush a piece of hair off his forehead. “Clyde Logan! I do believe you are jealous!”

“Maybe… y-you’re my girl…” Clyde choked out softly, his face reddening even more.

Rey found that she didn’t mind that statement at all, and so she simply murmured, “Indeed, I am,” before leaning her head on his shoulder and pressing her body closer to his. His arm came around her, and Rey hummed contentedly. She was home, and she couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be than right here with Clyde, watching the sun go down over the West Virginia landscape.

….

Soon enough, the sun went down completely, leaving them in the dark as Rey stayed pressed up against Clyde’s side as she watched the fireflies dance over the banks of the river, her feet swinging over the edge of the tailgate lazily.

“Ya want we should go back now?” Clyde asked softly, his lips close enough to her ear that his words sent a delicious shiver down her spine.

“No. I like the quiet. I like being here with you,” Rey answered softly. So much hung in the air between them unsaid, and Rey wanted to just enjoy the feeling of being with him, because soon enough she would have to leave again. She was already dreading it.

“Jimmy, Mellie and me, we used to come out here all the time. We’d take Daddy’s truck for the night, and stop at the Go Mart, so Jimmy could use his fake ID to buy beer and snacks. We’d just sit out here with our fishin’ poles all night, and when we got tired, we’d flop out in the bed of the truck in our sleepin’ bags.” Rey could tell Clyde was smiling at the memory, which brought a smile on her face, as well.

“You’re lucky,” Rey said quietly. “My parents left me in my pram at a police station when I was a week old. I was bounced around the foster care system until I was eighteen and was on my own. I worked three jobs to save up to come to America, and I was lucky enough to get a scholarship to college. You have a great family, Clyde. At least you were wanted.” Rey tried not to let her sadness show at her past, swinging her legs harder as she sighed.

“I… I want ya, Rey. If ya’d have me. But ya already know that – at least I hope ya do. We could be your family. We ain’t so bad, least I don’t think we are.”

“No, you’re not bad. I wish I could say yes, Clyde, to staying here with you all. But I have my job, and I love it.” Rey sighed, hating that they even had to talk like this. “Don’t suppose you have a couple sleeping bags in here, do you?”

Clyde looked over at her, and Rey could barely see the half-smile come to his lips. “As a matter of fact, I do. Ya never know when ya might get stuck and need ‘em.”

“Can we… ya know… maybe just sit out here and you can tell me more about growing up here?” Rey asked softly.

Clyde murmured, “Sure,” before hopping off the tailgate and moving up along the truck to the toolbox attached to the bed, opening it and retrieving two sleeping bags. He unzipped them and laid them out on the bed of the truck before returning to Rey’s side on the tailgate.

Rey sat on the edge of the tailgate for only a few minutes before she grinned and plucked at Clyde’s arm with her fingers. “You know, it’s kinda hard to see the stars from here. C’mon, let’s lay back and look at the stars and you can tell me all your stories.” Rey scooted back until she was on the soft fabric of one of the sleeping bags before lying on her back. As soon as Clyde joined her, Rey molded herself to his side, her head resting on his chest.

She could hear his heart beating, strong and steady, and he brought his arm around her once more, and Rey let the warmth of him holding her encompass her completely.

“Clyde?” Rey said softly, one hand resting on his chest as she listened to the crickets and the rhythm of his heart.

“Yeah, darlin’?”

“I… I want to be your girl,” Rey said softly, and she heard Clyde’s breath catch in his throat as his arm tightened around her even more.

“You do?” Clyde wasn’t sure he had heard Rey right, but he could feel hope blooming in his chest as he waited for her response, his heart beating at what he was certain was triple time in his chest.

“I do. After I get this case wrapped up. I have to focus on it first, because every minute it’s not solved is another minute you may be in danger. I have to be on my ‘A’ game. After that, I’m yours officially. Until then, we just have to settle for being friends who cuddle a lot. And dance and kiss sometimes too.”

“You’re not gonna… ya know… change your mind and find some handsome city boy? I ain’t got much to offer ya, Rey, not that I’m tryin’ to talk ya out of it or anythin’,” Clyde had barely gotten the words out when he felt Rey’s lips pressing against his softly.

“Shut up, Clyde. I’m not going to change my mind.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll shut up.” Clyde pressed his lips against hers softly again, letting her deepen the kiss when she felt comfortable doing so. Finally, she pulled away and looked into his eyes.

“Much better. I can get used to this ‘almost Clyde’s girlfriend’ status, how about you?”

“Oh, I’m supposin’ I could get used to it until we make it official and all,” Clyde replied with a smile, his good hand coming up to touch Rey’s cheek gently. “I must be dreamin’, right? Havin’ you here with me again, under the stars. It’s like a dream.”

“Ha,” Rey grinned at him. “Talk to me after we’ve been together for six months, and I have a panty drawer in your dresser and I hog the covers at night. We’ll see if you still think that way! No dream, by the way. I’m really here with you.”

“I ain’t never gon’ be sick of you, darlin’. Ya got my heart already, even if we have to wait to make it official and all.” His hand moved to her hair, where he played with the strands, letting them fall through his fingers like silk.

“There’s a lot I’d like to say, Clyde, but I need to compartmentalize it. If I…” Rey sighed, snuggling closer to him.

“I gotta say this, Rey… it’s tearin’ me up inside. I love you, and I hope that doesn’t scare ya away, and I should probably keep my mouth shut  - but I do. But ya can’t give it a mouth, yet. If ya do that - it’ll have a life of its own. I understand.”

Rey smiled, burying her face in his broad chest. This man was her home now, and soon she would get to claim him for real. First, she had a case to solve. Now she would be far more dedicated to getting to the bottom of it – because Clyde was waiting for her at the end. It would be even more worth it.

“I know,” Rey whispered softly, “Thank you for understanding.” With a soft sigh, she mouthed, ‘I love you too’, into the fabric of his shirt.

….

The sky was starting to lighten, the sun making its ascent, when Clyde woke with a start, his eyes narrowed in sleepy confusion before he realized that Rey was sleeping in his arms, her head on his chest and her body molded to his side, and there was nothing but the sky above them.

“Rey. Darlin’…” Clyde let out a happy, contented sigh as Rey’s eyes fluttered open, looking up at him with a tiny smile on her lips.

“Morning,” Rey said, snuggling into her makeshift pillow of a man more. “Mmm, can we go back to sleep? So peaceful…”

“Whatever ya want, darlin’. Whatever ya want.” Clyde was perfectly content to stay put.

The next time they woke, the sun was higher in the sky, beating down on them as they stretched out to work the sleep out of their once-tangled limbs.

As they drove back towards his house, Clyde looked over at Rey, who was gazing out the window, watching the landscape blur by as he drove.

“What’s gonna change, now that we got things figured out?” Clyde asked, his heart thumping away in his chest as he thought about their discussion from the night before, and how it had felt to have Rey in his arms the whole night.

“Well, handsome, I figure that maybe you’re going to have to learn how to navigate that phone of yours better, and be prepared for a lot of phone calls and text messaging, and maybe some weekend visits? No more radio silence. I promise. We’re past that now.” Rey smiled over at Clyde, hoping that her words were soothing his nerves. He knew she would be leaving again in a day or so, and her man was so scared of losing her again.

Rey learned from her mistakes, though. There was no way she was keeping Clyde out of her life anymore.

The grin that broke out on Clyde’s face had Rey’s heart soaring to the heavens as he exclaimed, “I can definitely get used to workin’ that phone if you’re on the other end of it. And I could definitely handle some visits – but not til ya got this case solved – or ya at least think it’s safe enough for us. Your work is important to ya, and I know ya love your job. Ya worked hard to get where ya are, and I am so proud of ya, Rey. Ya amaze me.”

Rey felt a blush come to her face at his words. She’d never had anyone say they were proud of her before, and hearing it from the man she loved brought tears to her eyes.

_He really is the one for me._

….

As they pulled into Clyde’s driveway, Rey sighed as she saw Alex’s truck still in the driveway. She looked over at Clyde, and he reached over with his good hand, touching her cheek gently. “I won’t let him alone with ya, darlin’. I got you.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that,” Rey smiled at him before squeezing his hand and opening her door, stepping out into the warmth of another West Virginia summer day. Alex was standing off to the side of the porch, a cooler in front of him as he used a knife to scrape at something in his hands. The smell of raw fish hit Rey’s nose, causing her to wrinkle it as she tried to get past the odor.

“Go on inside, darlin’, I’ll be right in,” Clyde murmured at her side, his good hand touching the small of her back softly. Even as she made her way inside, she could feel Alex’s eyes on her, watching her retreat into the trailer.

As Clyde made his way inside a few moments later, he automatically looked for Rey, finding her in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand, leaning up against the kitchen counter as she peered out the back window at Alex’s tent in the backyard.

“Hey,” he said gently, his good arm circling around her waist as he pulled her closer to him, his lips placing a soft kiss to the top of her head. Rey melted back into his embrace, sighing as she brought the mug of coffee to her lips.

“Hey,” Rey said softly in response, her eyes staying on the tent as she tried to wake herself up a bit more before checking her phone for emails or voicemails that might have important information.

“Ya gonna be okay if I hop in the shower? He’s occupied filleting those fish, but I don’t want ya feelin’ uncomfortable or anythin’,” Clyde’s breath ghosted across the shell of her ear, causing goosebumps to break out across her skin.

“I’ll be in my room, checking stuff for work.”

….

As Rey stood outside the door to Clyde’s guest room, she surveyed the door knob carefully. It seemed that her instincts had been good ones – because the tiny, unnoticeable trap she had set had been sprung. As she had left the day before, locking the door behind her, Rey had taken a tiny thread, placing it carefully where it would be broken if anyone tried to jimmy the doorknob to gain entrance. That, along with the scrapes from a poorly tried lockpick, led Rey to believe that someone had tried to get into her room while she and Clyde had been gone.

Nodding slightly, she stepped into the room, looking around to make sure nothing had been touched. If she hadn’t had training, she never would have noticed the fact that her pillow had been moved slightly, or the fact that her bag was roughly a quarter inch from where she had left it. Opening her bag, Rey could tell that someone had rifled through it – doing their best to put things back in the same manner as they found them.

Luckily, Rey was smarter than Alex, and she hadn’t left anything in the house that would give anything away as to who she was, or what she did for a living.

She heard Clyde’s footsteps behind her, turning to see him step into the room, his hair wet from his shower still. “Everythin’ okay, darlin’?”

Not having been able to check out the room thoroughly yet, Rey said softly, “Yeah, everything is fine! Is the shower free?” As she looked at Clyde, Rey shook her head softly, pointing to her ear and mouthing the words, ‘The room might be bugged.’

Clyde nodded, his eyes looking around the room carefully for a moment before he replied, “Yeah, shower’s free. I’ll set to makin’ somethin’ for lunch while ya shower.”

“That’d be great.” Rey moved closer to him, throwing her arms around him and pulling herself as close as possible to him as she could, standing on tiptoes, so she could whisper in his ear, “Someone came in here while we were gone and went through my things. There could be listening devices… we can’t talk safely here beyond normal things, okay?” Rey looked into his eyes, and Clyde nodded to show her he understood, his heart thumping away in his chest. Rey pressed her lips to his, pulling away finally to grab the things she would need for her shower.

Rey emerged twenty minutes later to find Clyde in the kitchen, putting together a lunch that made her mouth water – or maybe it was the sight of him standing at the counter, looking absolutely delicious, and the fact that she knew he loved her, and she loved him so much it made her heart ache.

Moving to where Clyde was, Rey put one hand on his lower back, leaning around him to look at what he was making. He looked down at her and smiled, and Rey melted, her arms going around his waist as she hugged him from behind.

“You working at the bar tonight?” Rey asked softly.

“Nah, tonight I’m spendin’ time with my girl, watchin’ some silly show she likes while I read a book, hopefully with her snuggled up beside me. That sound okay with you?” Clyde half-turned to grin at Rey, and she smiled back.

“Sounds perfect to me,” she replied.

….

The email from Finn was waiting on her phone as Rey settled onto the couch a few moments later. Clyde had agreed to keep Alex occupied outside while Rey swept the house completely for bugs. One of the perks she loved about her job was the tech it allowed her to use – in this case, a small, handheld scanner that would detect any listening devices within a certain range.

She found two – one in her room, and one in the living room. Not wanting to alert Alex to the fact that she was aware of them, Rey knew she would have to play it safe when she and Clyde were talking for the time being.

Sighing, Rey finally pulled up the email, reading it over for a moment before typing out a reply. She would have to leave the next evening to go back to her field office – and she was already dreading it. Finn’s email had informed her that the suspicious vehicle belonged to a seventy-year-old Nascar fan, who had been moving to Florida permanently, and when his car had broken down, they had to leave it behind until he could find a towing company with a flatbed to take it from Boone County to Tampa.

Finn had also sent her all the info he had been able to pull up on Alex Samuels. His military records and background check were all completely benign, yet recent events had definitely shown her that he had secrets. As she typed out a reply to Finn to dig deeper, Clyde entered the house, smiling at her as he sat down beside her. Looking at him, Rey pointed to her ear, then to where the bug was placed behind a picture on the wall just above the couch, Clyde giving her a small nod as his eyes followed her finger. Motioning to her phone, Rey sent him a text message.

_ <Rey> One in my room, one in here. Not safe to talk about anything we don’t want overheard. Understand? _

Clyde looked at his phone when it buzzed, looking over at Rey and nodding.

Reaching over, he picked up the remote and smiled at her, handing the small box to her. “Find your silly show, darlin’. Alex is all settled out back, fryin’ up the fish he caught earlier. He’s gonna eat and then skedaddle outta here, apparently his work called him to come down and he’s gotta work in the mornin’.”

“I see. You sure you don’t want to grab one last beer with your buddy?” Rey asked, looking at Clyde and scooting closer to him as she started to pull up _Bar Rescue_.

“Nah, we’re good,” Clyde murmured, his arm going around her as she snuggled into her usual spot by his side. “’Sides,” he whispered into her ear, “I’d rather spend time with you. I got a feelin’ ya gotta leave soon… ya got that look on yer face.”

Rey swallowed hard and nodded. “Tomorrow night.”

Clyde nodded. “Well, then, guess we better spend every second we got this time around together, dontcha think?” He gave her that tiny smirk she couldn’t resist, and she nodded around the lump in her throat.

“I do. Sounds like heaven to me.”

….

When Rey heard the sound of Alex’s car pulling out of the driveway, she bolted up, going to the window to peer out at the backyard to make sure he was truly gone. Finding no traces of him, she quickly made her way to both listening devices, taking both and depositing them outside, where a few strikes with the butt end of her pistol rendered them nothing more than pieces of almost disintegrated plastic.

Clyde appeared next to her, observing the pieces for a moment before bending down and picking them up with his good hand. “Best to burn ‘em, just to be sure.” Moving across the yard to the large fire pit, Clyde tossed the pieces in before drenching the still-smoking pieces of firewood with some lighter fluid he retrieved from the small shed nearby, lighting the pieces with a lighter. Rey joined him, watching the fire for a moment before she turned to face him, a small smile on her face.

“You’re pretty smart, Clyde. You know that? You need to be careful if Alex comes around after I leave, okay? He was hunting for info on me, but I don’t trust him.”

“Me neither, darlin’. I saw how he was watchin’ ya today. I daresay I almost pounded him one. I may only have one arm, but I can still sock a fella good if need be.”

Rey didn’t have a doubt in her mind that Clyde would protect her if he needed to. He made her feel safe and cherished, and she hadn’t felt that way with anyone before meeting him. She wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his chest. She felt his lips on the top of her head, and she sighed contentedly. There was a song she’d heard the last time she was in Boone County, an old John Denver tune about West Virginia that mentioned how it was ‘almost heaven’.

Rey could concur. Her heaven was the man who now had his arms wrapped around her. He was her home, and someday, she would find a way to make Boone County her home as well.

“Let’s go inside, darlin’. Ya got your silly show to watch, and I’m supposin’ ya get to pick the take out food tonight since you’ll be leavin’ tomorrow and all. I’m already missin’ ya.” Clyde pulled away and kissed her softly before pulling her inside.

They spent the rest of the night on the couch, watching television, and if they found themselves kissing each other breathless during most of that time, neither of them complained, or remembered just who had kissed who first.

Rey fell asleep in his arms again, leaned up against him. At some point, Clyde kissed her to wake her up and Rey remembered smiling up at him.

“C’mon darlin’, off to bed with ya. Ya need your rest, sweetheart. It’s late.” Clyde smiled at her, about to maneuver his way off the couch, but stilling when she spoke.

“Do you… I mean, can I sleep in your bed with you? Just to sleep, of course, because, well, anything else would make it officially official. But I sleep good with you there. Please?” Rey looked up at him with sleepy eyes, and at that moment, Clyde knew he could never deny her anything.

“I surely don’t mind. Ya can even sleep on top of the covers, if ya think it’ll help. Or I can. However ya want.”

Rey smiled up at him. “Gimme five minutes. Meet ya there?”

“Deal,” Clyde replied, his heart thumping in his chest. He was gonna have Rey in his bed, all night, all to himself. And while he couldn’t do all the things to her that he wanted to do – this was enough for now.

….

Rey woke the next morning to the feeling of her body tangled with Clyde’s, and she yawned before burrowing her face into his chest more, closing her eyes as she felt him start to wake as well. She clung to him for as long as she could, taking in every detail of how it felt to be so intertwined with him. She was already dreading leaving him later in the day.

“I’m gonna miss ya, darlin’. So much.” Clyde was still half-asleep as he looked at her with half-lidded eyes. “You’re beautiful, ya know. I don’t think I ever told ya that.”

Rey felt tears prick behind her eyes, and she raised one hand to card through his hair. “I am going to miss you too. I promise, I will focus all my energy on getting this case solved so we can be officially together.”

“I know ya will. I have faith in ya.” Clyde smiled at her, and then he kissed her again and Rey didn’t think about anything else but him for a while.

….

After sweeping her car for devices later that afternoon, Rey stood beside the driver’s side door after putting her bags inside, her arms around Clyde as she fought back tears.

Finally, she pulled away, swiping at her face as she tried to smile at him. “I’ll be back soon, okay? I promise. I’ll call you, every night, just like we planned, and I’ll text you until you tell me to stop because you’re sick of me.” Rey met his eyes, and stood on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his lips. “I gotta go. I’ll call you when I get to Pittsburgh, okay?”

Clyde didn’t think he could speak, so he swallowed hard around the lump in his throat, choosing to simply nod at Rey as she got into her car and pulled out of the driveway.

….

Rey tried not to cry as she drove out of Boone County, along the curvy roads in the warmth of the West Virginia summer air. The sun was just starting to go down, and as she came around a bend in the road, a deer came out of nowhere, causing her to hit the brakes and swerve to avoid hitting it, and as she did, the brake pedal went all the way to the floor.

As the car left the road, careening towards a tree, all Rey could wonder was if Clyde would know she was gone if she didn’t make it.

….

Something was wrong.

Now, Clyde didn’t have ESP or anything fancy like that going on, but he did believe that sometimes the energy of the world just told a person when something was off – and something was off.

As he wiped off a glass, he looked up to see Billy Thomas walk in, his old friend obviously nervous about something.

“Hey Billy, want your usual?” Clyde offered him a small smile.

“No, Clyde, I’m here on official business. Did your girl leave today, by any chance?” Billy wasn’t looking him in the eyes, and Clyde felt his heart sink to his feet.

“Yeah, she had to go back to Pittsburgh. Why?”

“Well, um, I think ya better sit down, Clyde. It ain’t good news.” Billy was looking at the bar, and Clyde wanted to shake him.

“Billy – what happened to Rey?” Clyde’s voice was soft and almost dangerous sounding.

“There, um, there was an accident, Clyde,” Billy said, his voice barely a whisper.

“Where is she? I know she… she ain’t _gone_ , is she?” Clyde could feel panic rising within him now, and the glass he had been wiping off fell to the floor, shattering and causing everyone in the Duck Tape to look over at him. “You tell me where she is right this instant, Billy Thomas, or I swear to God I am gonna come ‘cross this bar and strangle it outta ya… don’t try me.” Clyde knew he wasn’t acting like himself – he’d known Billy since they were kids, and never once had he been this pushy with him – but it was Rey. He needed to get to her.

“I… I ain’t supposed to be tellin’ ya none of this, Clyde, ya ain’t her next of kin, but they took her to Boone Memorial Hospital.”

Billy barely had the words out of his mouth before Clyde was dashing out the door to his truck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. Sorry. ;)
> 
> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitters: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


	9. Just To See You Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sorry, sir, I can’t give out that information. That’s the law,” the woman behind the desk at the emergency room at Boone Memorial Hospital eyed him warily as she delivered the news, and Clyde tried to refrain from yelling at her.
> 
> Didn’t she understand that his entire life was crumbling before his very eyes? Didn’t she know that his entire world had come to revolve around a pretty little brunette gal with sparkling hazel eyes and a voice like an angel’s? How could the rest of the world still be turning, when his had stopped as soon as Billy had told him Rey was injured?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my gorgeous beta and moodboard artist: [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)! Please, go give her wonderful stories some love!
> 
> Thanks to my plunny plotter outter and top cheerleader: [CommanderCrouton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton)!!
> 
> Also, shout out to Nancy, Bonnie and Sally. Love you gals.
> 
> To my other girls that stan this fic so hard: Meeda and Bronwyn. *smooches*

[](https://imgur.com/NIeXCOn)

“I’m sorry, sir, I can’t give out that information. That’s the law,” the woman behind the desk at the emergency room at Boone Memorial Hospital eyed him warily as she delivered the news, and Clyde tried to refrain from yelling at her.

Didn’t she understand that his entire life was crumbling before his very eyes? Didn’t she know that his entire world had come to revolve around a pretty little brunette gal with sparkling hazel eyes and a voice like an angel’s? How could the rest of the world still be turning, when his had stopped as soon as Billy had told him Rey was injured?

Clyde collapsed into a hard plastic chair in the waiting room, his mind chugging along like one of the freight trains hauling coal out of one of the coal mines nearby. His heart was thumping in his chest, and every breath he took in was with great effort. By the time Jimmy and Mellie arrived, Clyde felt like he had run a marathon – or five.

Mellie took one look at her brother, sharing an uneasy look with Jimmy. They had both dealt with Clyde’s anxiety and PTSD after he came home from the Army – but this was the worst they had ever seen it.

Mellie murmured to Jimmy, “Go and see if ya can charm anythin’ outta them, I’ll sit with Clyde and try’n’ calm him down some.” Jimmy nodded, heading towards the long information counter, a charming smile already on his face.

“Clyde,” Mellie said gently, sitting next to her brother and putting a hand on his shoulder. “Ya gotta come outta this. She’ll need ya when ya get to see her, ya know. Momma always said ya’d make a good husband to someone someday, and it looks like Rey’s gonna be the lucky gal. I ain’t never seen ya this crazy ‘bout a gal. She’s special, ain’t she?”

Clyde gulped, nodding at Mellie’s words. “She’s everythin’, Mel. If… if she don’t make it, I dunno how I… how I’d do without her.”

“She’s gonna be fine. She got through FBI trainin’, ya think a little car accident’s gonna keep her down?” Mellie kept a hand on Clyde’s shoulder, looking towards the information counter, where Jimmy was flirting with the secretary, trying to talk her into giving him the information they needed.

“I can’t lose her, Mel… we was just gettin’ happy, she finally admitted she wanted ta be with me and all, just, not ‘til she figures out this case and all.” Clyde was starting to calm down now, Mellie’s distractions having the desired effect on him. He could feel his heart settling into its normal rhythm and his breathing was much easier.

“Thanks, Mel,” Clyde said after another moment, feeling some of the tension leaving his body. Rey was the strongest person he had ever met. She would pull through this, no matter what. He would make sure she was well taken care of as she recovered too.

They both looked up as Jimmy returned, letting out a sigh. “She’s pretty tight-lipped. I ain’t got nothin’, sorry.”

Mellie smiled at both her brothers before saying softly, “Well then, guess it’s time to use some Mellie magic to get Clyde in ta see his gal, dontcha think?”

….

Clyde Logan wasn’t a man who went without notice when he walked into a room. He was overly tall, lanky, and with only one arm – he definitely drew attention wherever he went. By way of his military training, though, he was remarkably light on his feet when he needed to be.

As Mellie had a “fainting spell” to distract the staff at the front of the emergency room, Clyde made a break for the curtained rooms, skirting along the wall and peeking through cracks - hoping he didn’t see anything that would be burned into his brain forever. He’d seen enough horror in the sand dunes of Iraq, and when he came home he had vowed to live a peaceful life, free from drama.

This was Rey, though, and her health and wellbeing – and there wasn’t a thing Clyde wouldn’t do to ensure she was okay.

As he peeked around a curtain, he caught a glimpse of chestnut hair, a bruised, bloody and swollen face under it, causing his heart to clench in his chest. Looking around, Clyde sidestepped behind the curtain and into the room.

“Rey,” he breathed softly, pulling up one of the tiny looking plastic chairs to the bed and depositing himself into it. He reached out, grabbing one of her hands with his good one.

Rey sensed movement in the room, choosing to keep her eyes closed for the time being. She was fairly comfortable from the copious amounts of pain medication they had given her through her IV, and the room tended to swim a bit if she had her eyes opened. It was hard to open them, as well, as the airbag deploying had done a number on her face. She thought the doctor had said something about a hairline fracture somewhere, and broken ribs and a wrist – but Rey couldn’t remember if that was reality, or simply a dream brought on by the meds.

So, she chose to float in the pain free haze the meds offered her.

Then she heard  _ his _ voice, and her heart started to beat faster in her chest, like it always did when Clyde Logan was near her. With great effort, she opened one eye, his face swimming into view after a moment of her making an effort to focus on the direction of his voice.

A grin came onto her face, causing her to wince slightly with the movement. “Hey, there, handsome. Stop looking so worried, I’m gonna be fine.” Rey let out a giggle, frowning as she tried to reach out with the hand that wasn’t twined in his, the IV line stopping her from actually touching him. “No fair. I wanna touch your hair. My boyfriend’s sexy hair.” She giggled again. “I’m gon’ go float again, love you.”

Clyde knew she wasn’t in her right mind, and he had seen enough of his battle buddies act downright goofy about being doped up with pain medication – but Rey’s confession had his heart thrumming in his chest, and a smile came to his lips. He squeezed her hand, speaking to her. “Ya sleep now, darlin’. I ain’t goin’ nowhere anytime soon.”

….

Amilyn Holdo got the phone call as Rey was being transported to the hospital, and as she hopped into her car to head down to Boone County, she wondered just what in the hell her young protégé had gotten herself into.

Rey had gotten plenty of defensive driving training while in the academy, and she was in prime physical shape. She supposed, though, that one couldn’t always anticipate an animal coming out of nowhere. Still, something felt off, and she was determined to get to the bottom of things in Boone County.

When she strode into the emergency room of Boone Memorial Hospital four hours later, she stopped as she was led to the small curtained room where Rey was, trying to determine just exactly what was going on. Her star agent was lying in a hospital bed, bruised and battered, and next to her bed sat a tall, dark-haired man, his head resting on the bed beside Rey as he dozed, an arm around her waist protectively, the other arm – which bore a prosthesis – resting in his lap. Rey’s hand was buried deep in his long black hair, and as Amilyn cleared her throat softly, the nurse accompanying her said softly, “We tried to get him to leave, ma’am, but, well, he’s a big guy, and he’s claimin’ to be her boyfriend.” Amilyn nodded at the nurse, her eyes glancing back at the man as her brain put two and two together.

Rey opened one eye at the sound of a strange voice, bringing the hand that had been in Clyde’s hair up to her lips, pointer finger extended. “He’s sleeping. Rough day for him. Hi, Amilyn,” Rey’s voice was hoarse as she whispered to her boss.

Amilyn waited until the nurse left them alone before pursing her lips and looking at Rey. “Is that Clyde Logan, Rey? The subject of two investigations by our organization so far? You do know Agent Grayson suspected him and his brother of that heist at the Charlotte Speedway three years ago, right? Now a mob boss gets murdered in the back of his bar – and one of my agents falls in love with him? Do you know how bad this looks?”

Rey eyed her boss as best she could with her almost swollen shut eyes. “I’m heavily medicated, Special Agent Holdo. Don’t you think we should discuss this when I am in full control of my faculties?”

Clyde jerked away at the sound of a strange voice, his eyes wide as he sat straight up, looking first at Rey and then at Holdo. “Please don’t ask me ta leave her yet…” he said sleepily, reaching up with his good hand to swipe at his hair.

“I want you here, Clyde, shh,” Rey smiled at him, their eyes meeting as one corner of his lips curved up into a half-smile.

“Good,” he murmured back, settling back into the chair and glancing at Amilyn, nodding his head in greeting. “Ma’am.”

“Mr. Logan,” Amilyn answered, her lips set in a fine line of disdain. “Agent Sands, I will expect a few moments of your time when you are more lucid. Understood?”

“Understood.” As Amilyn turned and walked out, Rey looked at Clyde, giving him another smile.

“Hey.” Rey reached out, clutching his good hand as she looked into his eyes. “You okay?”

Clyde shook his head just a tiny bit. Here she was, lying in a hospital bed, broken and bruised – and she was worried about  _ him _ ? Rey was truly an incredible woman. “Here ya are, layin’ in a hospital bed, in pain and banged up, and you’re worryin’ ‘bout me? I’ll be alright, now that I know you’re okay. Them nurses ain’t real happy with me, though. We kinda… played ‘em a little ‘cuz they wasn’t givin’ me no information on ya.”

Rey smirked, wincing as the slight movement caused her some discomfort. Clyde immediately sat forward, his eyes growing concerned. “Ya want I should call the nurse for ya? Get ya some more of that pain medicine?”

Rey shook her head softly. While the pain medication had helped at first, she didn’t like not being aware of her surroundings. She would handle the pain on her own as much as she could. “No, I’m fine. Having you here helps some.”

“Yeah?” Clyde asked quietly, squeezing her hand gently.

“Yeah. Besides, protocol at my job requires they have to give me two weeks off to recover. Guess I might spend it here with this really cute guy I met.” Rey gave Clyde another tiny smile as she met his eyes once more.

“Yeah? I… I’d like that a lot. I wasn’t keen on lettin’ ya go anywhere ‘til ya was feelin’ better anyways, ya know.” Clyde was blushing now as he squeezed her hand again. “I was terrified, Rey, when Billy came and told me. I… I think I even threatened to throttle him one if he didn’t tell me where ya were.”

“Hey…” Rey squeezed his hand back. “I’m gonna be okay, no throttling anyone, alright?”

“Deal.”

….

The doctors kept Rey in the hospital overnight to monitor her, and Clyde found himself back at the Duck Tape once visiting hours were over. As he cleaned glasses and stocked the beer cooler just to stay busy, Mellie decided that any option that didn’t include Rey Sands making her last name Logan simply wouldn’t ever do. She’d never seen her brother so close to a complete breakdown before.

“How ya doin’, Clyde?” Mellie asked, watching him wipe down the bar for what seemed like the fiftieth time in five minutes. He might have been in the bar physically, but Mellie knew his mind was definitely at the hospital with Rey.

“Doin’ alright,” he responded, clearly on auto pilot at this point from his monotone response.

“No, ya ain’t. Come on, let’s get outta here. We can go to your place and make sure everythin’ is ready for when ya gotta bring Rey home tomorrow.” Mellie grinned at Clyde, clearly happy about something.

“Mel, what in hell are ya talkin’ about?” Clyde asked his sister, his brow furrowing slightly as he wondered just what she was planning now.

“Well, Rey loves to eat, Clyde, and Momma always said good food helps ya heal faster, so we need to get ya home so I can cook for your gal. That way when ya bring her home, neither one of ya got to leave each other’s side until she’s healed up!”

Clyde knew he wouldn’t be able to dissuade his sister once she was in one of her moods, so he left the bar after making sure everything was covered with his bartenders for the night. Watching Mellie cooking up a storm was always amusing, and she did have a point – Rey loved to eat, and anything that allowed him to spend more time with her was welcome.

He didn’t sleep much that night. Even after Mellie left, Clyde tossed and turned, worrying about Rey. Was she okay? Was she in pain? Were the nurses giving her the care they should? He got out of bed, frustrated, and paced the floor of his living room, glancing at the clock.

Four hours until he could go to the hospital to see his girl.

….

When Clyde went to the hospital the next morning, he was more than ready to bring Rey home, so she could start healing. Of course, the doctors – and Amilyn Holdo – had other ideas.

Four hours after arriving, he was pacing the small waiting room at the end of the hall, waiting for the doctors to run their tests, and for Holdo to have a chat with Rey. Clyde could only assume Rey’s boss was reaming her up one side and down the other – although he wasn’t sure just why. Rey was good at her job, and she was doing everything she could to solve this case. He had the thought that it might be whatever it was between him and Rey that had her panties in a twist – and that thought made Clyde stop pacing for a moment. Would Rey hold that against him if it was the case? Would she break things off with him because of Holdo?

He resumed pacing, hoping that he would still be able to take Rey home today as planned.

When they finally allowed him to see her, he had been pacing for six hours. As he ducked into the room, Holdo patted Rey’s arm softly. “See you in two weeks, Agent Sands.”

“Sure thing, Ami. Thanks.” Rey smiled up at her boss and mentor, her eyes watching her as she walked out of the room.

As Amilyn slid past Clyde, her eyes met his as she softly said, “Take care of her,”  before saying in a louder voice, ”Mr. Logan,” with a curt nod of her head.

Clyde simply gave her a nod of his head, followed by, “Ma’am.”

Looking at Rey, Clyde was met by her smile, all his worries melting away as he approached her bedside. “Hey, darlin’. Everythin’ okay?” Clyde returned her smile with one of his own, and he pulled a chair closer, so he could sit down.

“It’s a million times better now that I can see you. I have good news – I am all yours as soon as they get paperwork done. Two weeks of just you and me. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds like they’d best get a move on with that paperwork before I lose my patience,” Clyde said slowly as he reached out for Rey’s hand.

“You and me both. There’s another season of  _ Bar Rescue _ that I need to watch.” Rey smiled as wide as she could without causing herself pain as Clyde groaned.

An hour later found Rey signing her discharge paperwork, thankful to be going someplace far more comfortable than a hospital. She had a fractured cheekbone, a broken wrist – which was now the proud new owner of a cast, two broken ribs and a twisted ankle. Rey knew that once she did return to work, she would have many weeks of desk duty instead of being out in the field. Her broken wrist prevented her from using her firearm if need be, and her broken ribs made doing anything but breathing normally difficult.

After the paperwork was signed and she was dressed again, the nurse offered to bring a wheelchair to her room, so that they could make their way outside to Clyde’s truck.

“She don’t need no wheelchair. I got her,” Clyde replied, leaning down and scooping Rey up in his arms, settling her close to his chest as he smiled down at her. “Told ya I’d take care of ya,” he said softly as he started towards the door.

“It’s three floors down to the parking lot, Clyde,” Rey protested, smiling at the nurse who was following behind them, who was shaking her head softly at the situation in front of her.

“Well then, guess I’m glad you’re light as a feather, darlin’. There is no way I am lettin’ go of you anytime soon.”

“I’m holding you to that promise, Mr. Logan,” Rey buried her face in Clyde’s shoulder as he carried her out of the hospital, placing her carefully in the passenger seat of his truck and strapping her in before getting in on the opposite side.

As he pulled into his driveway, Rey let a grin come to her face, despite the pain it caused. Sadie had obviously been hard at work, a colorful sign saying ‘Welcome Home, Rey!’ adorning the front porch, evidence of that. True to his word, Clyde came around the truck, lifting her into his arms with ease and carrying her inside the house easily. Once he had her deposited on the couch, Rey felt tears come to her eyes as Mellie, Jimmy and Sadie all appeared from the back of the house, colorful hats perched on their heads and party favors buzzing in their mouths. All three of them grinned at her as they said loudly, “Welcome home, Rey!”

Clyde just stood near where Rey sat, wearing that small smirk on his face that she loved seeing so much. Looking down at Rey, he said quietly, “Welcome home, darlin’.”

Rey reached up with one hand to grab his good one, smiling through the tears glistening in her eyes.

_ I have a home. I have a family. I belong here with them. _

….

Rey had to admit, after everyone had left for the night – she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world, but right here to recover from her injuries. Clyde had been by her side every moment since she had gotten home, only letting her go briefly when she had to use the bathroom. There were simply some things she didn’t need his help with – and that was one of them.

As Clyde sat down beside her, Rey snuggled closer to him, letting out a yawn.

“Ya tired? I can go get your bed situated if ya need to sleep,” Clyde said softly, eyeing her with concern in his eyes.

“I’m tired, yes, but I want to stay with you.” Rey yawned again, causing Clyde to stand and scoop her up in his arms again.

“Come on, then, we got time to spend together. I am sure you’re tired, and ya probably need one of them pain pills the docs gave ya.”

Clyde headed down the hall toward the spare room Rey had been using, stopping at the door as Rey asked gently, “Where are you going?”

Clyde looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. “To your room?”

Rey shook her head softly. “I meant, I want to stay with you, Clyde. In your room.”

Clyde stilled completely, his face coloring as he breathed out slowly, “Oh. I… ya sure that’s gonna be the right thing, though, darlin’? I mean, you’re all battered up and all, and I’m a big guy. I wouldn’t wanna hurt ya at all in my sleep or somethin’.”

“You won’t,” Rey said, reaching up to touch his face. “I don’t think you could hurt me even if you wanted to.”

“Ya sure, then?” Clyde said, waiting for her to nod before he turned and headed into his bedroom. He waited patiently for Rey to get ready for bed, pacing as he worried about if she was managing alright, and when she called to him, he was there in an instant. She was sitting on what he now thought of as her side of the bed, and as his eyes took her in, he realized that she fit here with him, like a puzzle piece that had been missing his entire life.

He made quick work of getting ready for bed himself, and as he slid under the covers, he looked at Rey, who was smiling at him, her eyes misty with tears.

“Hey, ya okay, darlin’?” Clyde drew her carefully into his arms, mindful of her cast and ribs. He’d never forgive himself if he caused her more pain – but she looked like she needed to be held – and he was damn glad to be the man to fulfill that need for her.

“I… I belong here, Clyde. I never realized it more than today. Jimmy, Mellie and Sadie… they didn’t have to do all that for me.”

“They like havin’ ya here, Rey. They like how happy ya make me.” Clyde trailed the fingers of his good hand through her hair gently as her head settled onto his chest. “Everythin’ is brighter when you’re around. You’re like the sun or somethin’… I can’t describe it. Ya just accept me for who I am, ya have since the moment we met, and ya never treated me like I was no different than no one else, even lackin’ an arm and all.”

They were silent for a moment, until Rey said quietly, “Holdo wanted to take me off the case. She was worried that I was getting too involved, that I was making it too personal. She was worried about me being involved with… with someone who had been investigated before. I told her she was crazy, I mean, Agent Grayson didn’t find anything after six months.”

Clyde tried to remain calm, tried to keep his fingers moving lazily through her hair, tried to keep his pulse down. If Rey ever found out the truth about the heist – Clyde knew he would lose her for good, and would have a future of three hots and a cot to look forward to.

The mention of Grayson, though, made his blood pressure rise. “She was here longer than six months. Flirtin’ with me at the bar, tryin’ to insert herself into my life. She thought I was stupid, that I would think she liked me, would give her some information that’d imply Jimmy and me had anythin’ to do with that stupid heist. That woman was a menace for weeks.”

Rey nodded. “She has a reputation at the Bureau. She got transferred to some desert post out in Nevada or something. I told Holdo the same thing, by the way. You were in jail, and Jimmy was at Sadie’s pageant. The thought that either of you were there is ludicrous.” Rey sighed, trying not to take in too much air to prevent her ribs from protesting too loudly.

“Didja talk her into keepin’ ya on the case, then?” Clyde asked, kissing the top of her head gently.

“Yeah. I told her I was staying on it, and just because I happened to fall in love with a great guy didn’t mean I couldn’t do my job.” Rey looked up at Clyde, wanting to see the impact of her admission in his expressive brown eyes.

“Ya… what now? Ya… Rey. I mean, ya said it earlier, in the hospital, but I thought it was the drugs talkin’ and all.” Clyde’s heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.  _ Rey loves me. Me. The one-armed bartender from nowhere. _

“I do. I love you, Clyde. I can’t try and stuff my feelings away just to solve a case. You make me happy. When I’m not with you, I’m thinking about you. I just… I love you.” Rey’s eyes filled with tears again, and Clyde pulled his fingers from her hair to swipe his thumb across her eyes.

“No cryin’, darlin’. I love you too.”

….

A week later found Rey sitting at the bar at the Duck Tape, the swelling on her face finally going down enough so that she could eat and drink with little difficulty. She was trying not to be frustrated with Clyde, because he was the sweetest man she had ever met, but he was always hovering, trying to take care of her – even when she didn’t need help.

She had even growled at him earlier, but she had apologized a moment afterwards, because the look on his face almost broke her heart. Her tall, handsome and strong boyfriend had  _ pouted _ , his eyes starting to water as he apologized to her.

Clyde Logan was an absolute gem of a man, and Rey was glad he was hers.

Rey looked at the door as it opened to admit a group of three women, each one slender and suntanned, like they worked in the sun every day. They headed straight for the bar, and each one of them smiled at Clyde like they knew him well.

“Hey Clyde Logan, how ya doin’?” asked one of the women, her eyes sparkling as she looked him up and down. “Still as good-lookin’ as ever, I see!”

Clyde was blushing as he replied, “Hey there, Nancy, Bonnie Jo and Sally. Haven’t seen y’all in a coon’s age. Where ya been hidin’ yourselves?”

“Aww, we’re in Charleston now. Didja hear the reunion got rescheduled? Somethin’ ‘bout a water main breakin’ and floodin’ the gym? Ya think they’d be able to clear it up in time or somethin’!” The woman gave Clyde another flirtatious smile, and Rey narrowed her eyes.

_ I have never wanted to punch someone more in my life. Eyes off my man,  _ Nancy _. _

“Yeah, I heard. ‘sa shame and all, I guess, for y’all that moved outta Boone. Y’all comin’ back for it next month then?” Clyde asked the trio, grabbing three glasses and plopping them down on the bar in front of the women. Rey could see he was just being himself, friendly and accommodating, yet she still hated the way he was being looked at.

“Well, I was wonderin’, Clyde, would ya like to go with me?” Rey’s eyes narrowed further and she stood, gingerly maneuvering towards the women as Clyde looked towards her and smiled, his face turning even brighter red at the look on her face.

“Sorry, I got myself a pretty little gal to go with, but thanks for askin’. Ain’t that right, darlin’?” Clyde leaned over the counter far enough to plant a kiss to Rey’s lips, and she smiled at him before she looked at the other woman, smirking as she replied.

“That’s right, sweetheart.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	10. In Case You Didn't Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clyde takes his gal out on a date and gives her a token.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A while back, I asked my twitter followers what Clyde would order at a fancy steakhouse. The results of the poll are found in this chapter - thanks to everyone who voted!
> 
> As always, thanks to my awesome beta and moodboard goddess - [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite) \- she only grumbles a little when I send her long chapters! :)

[](https://imgur.com/4VVG6NP)

Just how happy could someone be?

Rey had that thought running through her mind almost every day as soon as she woke up, generally with Clyde’s arm flung across her back, and her head on his chest. Their legs were generally tangled up together, and Rey would wake him up by drawing patterns on his chest with the finger of one hand, her other hand buried deep in his silky raven locks.

Clyde would smile before opening his eyes, humming softly at the feeling of her hands touching him. “Mornin’, darlin’,” he said in that slow, Southern drawl of his that never failed to make her core clench with longing. To Rey, he was absolutely the sexiest man she had ever laid eyes on, and she didn’t foresee that changing any time soon for her.

Rey would smile at him, watching him finally open his eyes before she would press her lips to his for a sweet, long kiss that always left her breathless and feeling hopelessly in love.

Today, she had gotten out of bed earlier than normal – although untangling herself from the 6’3” living furnace – who had groaned and tried to pull her back against him, had proven to be a feat in and of itself. Finally, she was untangled, the smile staying on her face as she made her way to the kitchen to run a pot of coffee and prepare breakfast for her man.

The coffee was made, the smell permeating the house, as Clyde woke up again, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes as he sniffed at the air, his mouth watering at the smell of bacon cooking. Rey’s voice drifted to him from the kitchen as she sang along to some country song on the stereo.

Getting out of bed, he padded silently to the kitchen, stopping in the doorway, his eyes took in the sight of his still injured girlfriend, wincing as she danced to the song – forgetting that her ankle and ribs were still very tender. As she sang into the spatula, Clyde let a low chuckle come from his lips, a smile sliding onto his face as Rey half-turned to look at him over her shoulder.

As he moved towards her, she pouted. “You were supposed to stay asleep until I was done. You ruined my surprise.”

Clyde drew her gently into his arms, his lips meeting hers tenderly. “Ya only been outta the hospital a week, darlin’. Ya shouldn’t be fussin’ over me like ya are. Ya should be restin’ and stayin’ off that ankle. I’ll carry ya, if ya want.” Clyde pulled away slightly, watching as Rey shook her head.

“Nope,” she said, letting the ‘p’ pop off her lips. “You sit that gorgeous ass of yours down at the table and let your gal make you breakfast. Understand?”

“Rey, now listen, darlin’, I don’t want ya-“

Clyde’s words were cut off by Rey’s lips against his, her hands burying themselves in his hair again. He was helpless to do anything but wrap his arms around her as her tongue met his, and when she finally pulled away, they were both breathing heavy.

“Go sit down. I’m fine.” Rey pointed to the table with her casted hand, which was still somehow holding onto the spatula.

“Yes, ma’am,” Clyde murmured, knowing better than to fight with her when she had that stubborn look in her eyes. His Momma had taught him that sometimes ya had to pick your battles – and Clyde was not gonna fight with Rey over something simple, like her desire to cook him breakfast.

As they settled into eating, Clyde cleared his throat, and Rey looked at him, raising one brow questioningly with a piece of bacon sticking halfway out of her mouth.

“I been thinkin’, I’d like to take ya out on a proper date. Ya know, nice restaurant, candle light, like that. Whatcha think? Would ya like to have dinner with me tonight?” Clyde went back to eating, a tiny smirk coming to his lips as he watched Rey’s face color.

“Yes. That would be lovely, Clyde,” Rey finally said. Her heart was pounding in her chest for some reason at the thought of seeing Clyde dressed in something other than a tee shirt and jeans. She was already attracted to him, and seeing him dressed up would probably turn that desire into something she was going to have to attend to – hopefully with Clyde’s help.

….

 

As they had gotten ready for their date, Clyde had nervously moved through the house, feeling like an imposter in the dark grey suit jacket with a black on black layered shirt beneath it. He never had to get gussied up for anything – the last time had been their Daddy’s wake.

Rey, though, she was a vision in a simple black dress and shoes, and Clyde had to stop in the middle of the living room to catch his breath when he saw her for the first time in it. She smiled at him, and Clyde was just reminded again of how much he loved her, and how he very much didn’t deserve her.

Rey deserved some rich city boy, with a college degree and a Rolls Royce. Instead, she had chosen a small town, one-armed bartender from West Virginia, and he would always be thankful that some city boy had gotten murdered behind his bar, not because he would ever wish death upon anyone – but because it had brought Rey into his life.

“Ya…” Rey moved closer, and Clyde gulped, words leaving him for a moment before his brain finally decided to start functioning again. “Ya look so beautiful. Like an angel…” His face flushed, but he couldn’t tear his eyes from her.

Rey smiled as she finally came to him, her arms going around his neck, although she winced slightly with the movement, her ribs protesting greatly. She wanted to be near Clyde, no matter how much it might hurt her injuries. “You clean up pretty well yourself, Mr. Logan. You look fantastic – but also, like the world’s most uncomfortable teddy bear.” Rey planted a soft kiss to his lips before patting his prosthetic arm and looking up into his eyes. “Don’t wear this tonight if it makes you uncomfortable. I want you to always feel comfortable with me. I love you for the man you are inside and out. I know your kind heart and that cunning, intelligent mind of yours. That won’t change.”

“Thank you,” Clyde whispered, tears pricking behind his eyes. He wasn’t a man who cried very often, or showed emotion, but the fact that this beautiful woman loved him despite his flaws was overwhelming. He kissed the top of Rey’s head softly before he pulled away from her. “Gimme a minute?”

Rey nodded, watching as he walked back towards his bedroom. She knew his arm made him uncomfortable, and he felt like people were judging him for it. She knew the truth though – Clyde Logan was brave enough to go out and fight for his country, and he had paid the price. He deserved respect and love – and he would get nothing less than that from her.

Clyde reappeared a moment later, his prosthetic arm missing, and Rey smiled at him. “Ya ready to go?” he murmured, his face still a bit red.

The 317 Steak House was in Logan, a quick half hour drive south down Route 119. Before the heist, Clyde never would have considered going there to eat, and even now, the thought of spending forty dollars on a cut of meat had his heart pounding in his chest and his brain screaming at him. If it weren’t for the beautiful gal sitting in the passenger seat of his ’76 Grand Prix, Clyde knew he would be a completely different man than the one he was today.

 

The drive was pleasant enough, and as they pulled up in front of the steakhouse, Clyde came around the car to open the door for his lady. Rey smiled up at him before she climbed out of the car, and as usual, Clyde was almost struck speechless by her beauty. Shaking his head slightly as she stood before him, he said quietly, “Ya look so damn beautiful, ya take my breath away. I still can’t believe ya wanna be here with me.”

Rey couldn’t help but let her smile widen. Clyde was so damn sweet, and she didn’t understand how she hadn’t wanted to be with him from the beginning. If anything, she wanted to keep him even safer now, and she would solve this case, so they could put it behind them and move on with their life together, without having to wonder if the other shoe was about to drop.

Clyde offered her his arm, and Rey wrapped her arm around his left arm instead, leaning her head against his shoulder. She knew he was nervous whenever he went out in public – the only places he truly felt comfortable were his bar and his home. If she could help ease his discomfort, she would – especially since he was doing this for her. She would have been content sitting at home – and the thought that she considered Clyde’s home  _ hers _ as well was mind boggling, in and of itself – watching television and spending the night cuddled up next to him on the couch. But seeing Clyde dressed up was making her ache in more places than just her recent injuries, and Rey wanted so, so much more from him than just cuddling and kissing.

Of course, she would have to convince him she wouldn’t break if they went further – because, right now, he was treating her like she was made of glass, and would shatter at any moment. Sure, she may be limping, and she may have a cast, some cuts and bruises and a few broken ribs – but that didn’t mean they couldn’t find ways of pleasing each other.

They made their way inside the restaurant, the cheerful seating attendant leading them to a cozy corner table for two. There was, indeed, white tablecloths and candles, as well as a lovely floral centerpiece of daisies. Clyde couldn’t keep his eyes off Rey, one corner of his mouth lifting into that tiny smirk that she always wanted to kiss. She returned his gaze with her own, loving the way the candlelight made his already warm, brown eyes sparkle even more.

The spell was broken momentarily by their waiter making an appearance, sliding dinner and wine menus to them both before disappearing once more. Rey glanced over the menu, her mouth watering at the thought of a delicious steak on a plate in front of her. Her relationship with food as an adult had always been a good one. As a foster kid, she’d spent most of her formative years half-starved, and she tended to enjoy food a bit more than most people do now because of it. She looked up to find Clyde eyeing the menu, his lower jaw working in frustration as he tried to hold in letting his emotions show.

Looking over the menu, it dawned on Rey what was bothering him.

Being with someone who was an amputee meant you looked at the world a bit differently. While people without upper limb amputations could cut their food without issue – Clyde couldn’t. That limited him in his menu options –  _ unless… _

Rey leaned over the table and whispered softly, “I got you, handsome. You order whatever you want.” Her hand closed around his wrist as she looked into his eyes, smiling at him as her thumb swept over it gently.

As Clyde looked over the menu, he tried not to let his growing panic overcome him. Even with the use of his prosthetic hand, it was impossible for him to cut food. While he really wanted to order the biggest steak they had, it would be impossible for him to eat. So, he let his eyes skate over the menu once more, looking for options that he could eat with one hand. When Rey whispered to him, her cool, soft hand touching his, he did his best not to let tears come to his eyes.

_ She gets me. It’s like she sees into my soul. If I ever lose her, I’ll be done for. Momma woulda told me she’s a keeper, for sure. _

All he could do was nod gratefully at her as the waiter came back to take their order, and he ordered the biggest steak on the menu. He let a small chuckle leave his lips as Rey ordered the fanciest cheeseburger and fries she would probably ever eat in her life. “I bring ya to some fancy restaurant and get all gussied up for ya, and ya order a cheeseburger, darlin’?” Clyde teased, loving the way Rey’s face lit up in response.

“I’ll have you know, Mr. Logan, that’s a fifteen dollar cheeseburger, and ten dollar fries, made from the finest local beef and locally grown potatoes!” Rey rolled her eyes playfully before remarking, “I’ve got to go to the loo, be right back?” Clyde nodded at her, and Rey stood, heading towards the restrooms, and stopping their waiter along the way. In a low tone, so other diners wouldn’t hear, Rey explained that Clyde was a veteran, and an amputee, and made a request that after cooking his steak, the cook could also cut it for him. She had thought about cutting it for him at their table – but she would never want to add any discomfort to an already touchy subject with Clyde.

Once the waiter had expressed his understanding and let her know he would see that her wishes were carried out, Rey headed to the restroom, and then back to their table. The way Clyde’s eyes lit up at the sight of her were probably mirrored in her own.

_ How am I going to do this? I can’t have my career and have him, can I? _

Pushing aside the voice in her head that told her she couldn’t be happy, that something would always come along to take her happiness away, Rey gave Clyde a smile as she slid into her chair once more.

“Yer still limpin’. How’s the ankle feelin’ after yer little dance party this mornin’?” Clyde winked at her, and Rey blushed. Truth be told, she was in some pain, but if she told him that, he would probably caveman carry her out of the restaurant and take her home to make her rest.

“I’m fine, big guy. Stop worrying. I am not made of glass.” Rey retorted.

“Sorry, I’m tryin’ not to be fussin’ over ya too much. It’s just…” Clyde swiped a hand through his hair and looked around the restaurant before his eyes met hers again. “I ain’t never loved someone before, not like this, anyways. I’m supposed to be able to keep ya safe and protect ya.” He huffed out a breath and reached out to clutch her hand with his on the table top. “If I’m gonna be with ya, I’m gonna take care of ya like I’m supposed to. Lettin’ ya close to that… slimeball… I thought was my friend, ain’t protectin’ ya none. I know I couldn’t help ya havin’ your accident none, but I shoulda told him to go away, so ya didn’t have to deal with him. I’m sorry for that.”

Rey squeezed his hand, smiling gently at him. “You  _ do _ take care of me, Clyde. More than anyone else has in my entire life.” Rey fought against the tears threatening to pool in her eyes now. Her words had opened up something inside her, something she tried not to think about.

All her life, she’d been disposable to people. Tossed around from foster home to foster home, never seen as more than a paycheck to people. She’d been starved, beaten and called almost every vile, filthy name she could think of – yet, this incredible man sitting across the table from her, looked at her like she was his personal sun, and he orbited around her. How long would it be until he decided she wasn’t enough anymore? How long until he decided he didn’t like being with someone who lived in a different state? How long until his love for her wasn’t enough anymore?

“Hey, darlin’…you okay?” Clyde’s voice brought her out of her own head, and Rey smiled at him, nodding her head and withdrawing her hand from his.

“Yeah… just thinking.”

Clyde raised one eyebrow in question, and Rey opened her mouth to reply, the waiter arriving at their table with their meals – saving her from launching into an awkward discussion with him. She knew at some point her abandonment issues would come up, and she needed Clyde to understand what made her tick, truly.

The waiter set their plates down, and as Clyde looked at his food, already preparing himself for having to ask Rey for help, he saw that his steak had already been cut for him. He swallowed hard as he realized that Rey had made the arrangements quietly for it – to avoid any embarrassment for him. She was putting him and his comfort first.

“Enjoy,” the waiter said before turning away to attend to his other tables.

Clyde stared at his food for another moment, feeling tears coming to his eyes now. He swallowed hard again before finally looking up at Rey, who once more reached across the table to grab his hand. “You’re welcome, handsome. I’ll always take care of you too.” Instead of trusting his voice, Clyde simply nodded at Rey, giving her hand another squeeze before he set to work eating.

The food was delicious, of course, and after a few moments of silence, they started talking again, Clyde’s voice husky from the unshed tears he had somehow managed to keep from falling. Everything was so easy with Rey, despite their interesting beginning, and Clyde tried to ignore the voice in his head telling him that the Logan Curse was back, that something would happen to tear them apart – because a Logan couldn’t have this much luck – could he?

After the meal was over and they had made their way back to Clyde’s house, Clyde tried to keep his nerves from getting the best of him. He had intended to already give Rey something, but the right time hadn’t presented itself – until tonight.

….

**4 Days Earlier**

“Shhh, Sadiebug, Rey’s inside sleepin’!” Clyde smiled at his niece as he sat on the front porch with Mellie. Sadie was sitting on the steps, singing along to a song on her phone. Sadie shook her head and gave a little sigh, turning off the music and standing, stretching for a moment before coming to sit in between her Aunt and Uncle.

“Uncle Clyde, is Rey your girlfriend now?”

Clyde heard Mellie laugh, and he gave Sadie a little nod to indicate his answer.

“Yeah, reckon she is. I mean, I ain’t never asked her to be, but we… we love each other.” Clyde was silent for a moment – surely Rey was his girlfriend now, wasn’t she?

He’d have to ask her. Make it all official. Just in case – because that was the way it was supposed to be – right?

“Ooookay,” Sadie let the word trill from her lips, winking at her Aunt Mellie before saying, “Didja give her a token, yet? I mean, all the boys in those romance novels that Daddy says I can’t read, but Aunt Mellie and Mommy let me read – as long as they ain’t got bad stuff in ‘em – those boys always give their gals tokens of their love and all.”

“Th-They do?” Clyde’s eyes moved from Sadie’s to Mellie’s, his sister shrugging her shoulders slightly.

“Probably wouldn’t hurt, ya know. ‘Specially if ya ain’t asked her to be your girl, yet. Gals like that sorta thing.” Mellie smiled at Sadie, running her fingers through her niece’s hair and gathering up some, starting to braid it with ease as she thought about the situation at hand. “Maybe a pretty necklace or somethin’, ya know? Somethin’ that she can feel around her neck to remind her of ya when she’s back in Pittsburgh.”

Clyde nodded, thinking about what he may be able to get her. Finally, an idea came to mind, and he looked over at Mellie with a small smile on his face. “How’d you two like to do a little shoppin’ for me?”

….

Clyde went around the car again, opening Rey’s door for her. They made their way inside, and once they were in the living room, Clyde stopped her, pulling her close to him and kissing her lovingly. “Wanna dance, darlin’? I’ll hold ya up, so ya don’t hurt your ankle. I just wanna have ya in my arms for a bit, with ya lookin’ so beautiful like ya are.”

“How can I resist an offer like that?” Rey said quietly, smiling up at Clyde. She pouted as he left her standing for a minute, and as he came back to her, the gentle sounds of Brett Young’s  _ In Case You Didn’t Know _ started playing on the stereo. As Clyde folded her into his arms, he started singing along to the lyrics as they swayed together, turning in tiny circles on the living room carpet.

_ In case you didn't know _

_ Baby I'm crazy bout you _

_ And I would be lying if I said _

_ That I could live this life without you _

_ Even though I don't tell you all the time _

_ You had my heart a long long time ago _

_ In case you didn't know _

Rey willed herself not to cry, because this man was the best thing in her world, and soon she would have to go back to Pittsburgh again. Soon enough, she realized the music had stopped, and Clyde was fumbling to pull something from his pocket.

“I, um, I…” The sound of something clattering to the floor filled the air, and then Clyde was bending down to pick up a long, velvet covered box, looking up at her as his fingers closed around it. “I… I wanted to ask ya somethin’.”

Rey’s eyes widened at first, thinking Clyde was about to propose to her, until he held up a long box towards her – much too long to be a ring box. While she knew she loved Clyde – she didn’t think she was ready just yet to be his wife – or anyone’s wife – for that matter.

Taking the box from Clyde’s hand, Rey watched him as he stood, running his hand through his hair nervously. “I, uh, I figured I should, ya know, ask ya officially and all, so here goes. Rey, would ya be my girlfriend?” He held his breath, his eyes searching hers as he waited for her answer.

Rey felt the tears coming, and she could only nod in answer at first, a sob of pure joy leaving her lips as she finally managed to whisper her answer out loud, “Yes.”

Clyde let out a long breath, letting a smile come to his lips. “I figured ya’d say that, but it took ya a minute… kinda had me nervous. Open ‘er up. Mels and Sadie thought it’d be nice for ya to have a token to take back to Pittsburgh with ya.”

“I…” Rey looked up at Clyde for a moment. “I thought you were proposing there for a minute. I was nervous.”

Clyde kept his gaze as neutral as he could, clearing his throat before saying, “Oh. I, um, I’d marry ya tomorrow, Rey, but I don’t think ya would say yes just yet. So, I’ll just be the best boyfriend I can be until ya decide you’re ready. I ain’t goin’ nowhere.” He smiled at her, his heart pounding in his chest. While he knew it was far too soon in the relationship for them to marry, he knew she was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

Rey gave him a smile back, her heart tripping happily in her chest before her eyes went down to the box resting in her hands. “A token, huh? Isn’t your love and devotion enough?” Rey teased lightly, watching his face color again.

“Uh,” Clyde put one hand on the back of his neck, one side of his mouth pulling upwards. “Ya see, Mels and Sadie, they were tellin’ me that men give tokens to their ladies to express their love. So, here ya go… I hope ya like it.”

Rey stood on tiptoe to plant a light kiss on his lips, trying not to wince visibly as her ribs and ankle protested. “Thank you.” Pulling away again after she spoke, Rey opened the box, letting a tiny smile come to her lips as tears sprung to her eyes again.

Nestled in the box was a ring she was very familiar with. Clyde had worn that ring every day she had known him, the silver horseshoe glistened against the black velvet of the box, fastened onto a delicate silver necklace. “It’s… It’s your ring…”

“Yep. My lucky ring, I always thought. But, ya see, I ain’t gonna need it no more, because I’m the luckiest guy on Earth now… because I got you as my gal. So, I want ya to wear it, and maybe sometimes, when ya need luck or you’re feelin’ lonely, ya can just touch it and know I am here for ya, waitin’.”

Rey sucked in a deep breath, a thin line of tears tracking down her face. “This is the best gift I have ever received, Clyde. I think I’m the luckiest woman, to have a man like you to call mine. I love it… and you. Thank you.”

Clyde stepped closer to Rey, reaching out with his hand to let his thumb trail gently over the tracks of her tears. “I’m glad ya like it, darlin’. Lemme see if I can put it on ya…” Rey nodded, and Clyde lifted the necklace out of the box before sliding it over Rey’s head, where it slid into place, hanging delicately between her breasts. “There ya go, I’m with ya wherever ya go.”

Rey smiled at him again, wincing slightly as she put her hand on his face. She had definitely overdone it today, but it had been worth it. Seeing the love shining in Clyde’s eyes was worth a few hours of pain.

“Ya overdid it today, darlin’. C’mon, let’s get ya settled onto the couch, or in bed if ya want. We can watch your silly shows back there.”

“Deal, as long as I get the fluffy pillow.” Rey grinned at Clyde, who just shook his head.

“Ya can have whatever ya want, darlin’, as long as ya stay with me.”

….

Rey felt a little more like herself with each day that passed, and as she prepared to go back to Pittsburgh, Clyde seemed to grow a little gloomier with each passing moment. He had been checking in at the bar every day, while Rey stayed at his house to deal with insurance companies and inquiries from her superiors, as well as the paperwork that being injured on the job entailed. Luckily, she was able to get a car for the trip back home easily, but as she began the process of packing up her things, she had to admit – she was feeling melancholy as well.

Everything had changed for her now. She had a life here in Boone County - a family that loved having her around, and a man whom she was beginning to see herself spending the rest of her life with. Rey sat on the front porch, waiting for Clyde to come home, thinking about what life would be like if she just gave everything up and stayed here. Clutching the ring she now wore around her neck, Rey was so deep in thought that she never even noticed Mellie’s car pulling in the driveway, until the petite brunette was stepping onto her brother’s front porch.

“Ya look like someone kicked your puppy,” Mellie remarked as she sat down beside Rey. “Ya ain’t wantin’ to leave, are ya?” Mellie had a way of reading people that Rey had always thought would have made her a great FBI Agent.

“Nope. I’ve never had a home, really… I was in the foster system back in England. I’ve fought for everything I have – it’s all I know how to do.” Rey sighed, looking at Mellie for a moment. “And Clyde is… trying not to act sad, but I know he is. I just… this is hard.”

“Good things is always worth fightin’ for,” Mellie said, twirling one braid in between her fingers as she popped her gum before replying again. “Y’all were meant to be, Rey. I knew it the minute I saw ya together. Ya know Clyde ain’t never taken that ring off since Daddy gave it to him? Now it’s sitting around your neck as his promise to ya. He’ll be here waitin’. Ya just gotta grit through the hard stuff, and then ya get the big payoff, ya know? Clyde’s worth it, but even more than that – you’re worth it. Ya deserve to be happy, Rey. We all love ya to the moon and back, and we’re all hopin’ ya find a way to make your home here with us real soon.”

“Thanks, Mellie. I’ve just never had anyone in my life before. I looked out for myself. Having people who care for me is a new experience, and the fact that you are five hours away just makes it harder. I know we’ll be fine. Clyde is the best person I have ever met.”

“Yeah, we’re kinda fond of him too.” Mellie grinned at Rey. “I gotta get to work, I was just comin’ to check on ya since Clyde is unloadin’ the truck at the bar and all. I’ll be back tonight – we’re barbequein’ out back, so we can all say goodbye before ya leave tomorrow.” Standing, Mellie leaned down to give Rey a one-armed hug. “See ya then!”

….

Later that evening, as Rey sat beside the fire pit, snuggled in Clyde’s arms, she couldn’t remember ever feeling happier. Jimmy and Sadie were tossing a football around and singing offkey to some country song, Sylvia was shaking her head at them and laughing, and Mellie was watching them as well, a beer in hand.

Rey sighed, and Clyde leaned in, whispering in her ear, “You okay, darlin’? Ya need anythin’?” His breath ghosted over her ear, and she could feel goosebumps rising across her flesh.

“No, I have everything I need right here,” Rey replied softly, watching as the lightning bugs started to dot the darkening sky.

“That ya do, darlin’. Me too.”

After everyone left, Rey watched with tears in her eyes still as Clyde locked up after them, smiling up at him as he hovered over the couch for a moment, clearly trying to keep his own emotions at bay. Finally, he sighed, swiping his hand through his hair before looking at her.

“This seems worse than last time ya left, don’t it?”

Rey didn’t trust her voice, so she instead just nodded, trying to keep herself from crying. Finally, when she had her emotions in check, she replied, “It is, but only because we admitted how we feel about each other.” Rey got to her feet carefully, trying not to aggravate her injuries, and wrapped her arms around Clyde’s neck. “Let’s go to bed. We can talk about things there.”

Clyde nodded before scooping her up into his arms, a soft, “Hush now,” leaving his lips when Rey started to protest. As he laid her gently on his bed, Rey pulled him down beside her, claiming his lips in a kiss.

“Clyde,” Rey said gently, letting her fingers dance over the skin of his upper arm, “I… I want you. I know we can’t make love, but maybe we could still find a way to please each other tonight, before I leave?” She watched as his face turned red, biting her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling at how adorably awkward he got sometimes. It was just one of the many things she loved about him.

“I…I… but you’re hurt, and if I hurt ya, I could never forgive myself, darlin’. Dontcha think we better wait ‘til ya come down to visit again? I mean, it’ll be another couple weeks ‘til the reunion, and you’ll be more healed up by then.” Clyde was stumbling over his words now. Sure, he had thought about him and Rey together, but with her current situation, he had resigned himself to cold showers and taking matters into his own hand for the time being.

“No,” Rey said softly, her hand reaching to cup his cheek now. “Go get ready for bed. I have some ideas in mind.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Clyde managed to say before doing as his lady requested.

As Clyde slid into bed, he found Rey already waiting for him, and he sucked in a long breath at the sight of her splayed out, wearing one of his shirts buttoned halfway up, which left the most delicious hints of her bare skin for him to feast his eyes on. He licked his lips, and Rey smiled, his eyes finally meeting hers. “You can touch me, Clyde. I want you to touch me.”

“I…I admit, I been thinkin’ about touchin’ ya. Everywhere.” Chocolate brown eyes met hazel ones, and Clyde leaned in again, capturing her lips with his. Her good hand tangled in his hair, and he gently pulled her closer, his tongue grazing across her lips, seeking entrance. When she granted it, their tongues tangled before she let out a low moan, pulling his lower lip in between her teeth and biting it gently as she let her hand trail from his hair, down to the hem of his shirt, plunging under and exploring the muscled contours of his chest as they continued to kiss.

They’d both been so careful not to cross lines, but that was when they were trying to keep their feelings tampered down. Now that they both knew the depths of their feelings, this seemed like a logical step for them. Rey knew soon enough she would be able to experience being with Clyde completely – but for now, this would have to do.

Clyde let out a low moan of his own at the feeling of Rey’s light exploration of his chest, finally pulling away enough to gaze down at her. Panting, he said quietly, “I… I don’t wanna get carried away here, darlin’. I need to know what ya have in mind here. If I hurt ya… I can’t even think of that.”

“Just touch me, wherever you want. Sure, we can’t make love, but I have dreamt about those fingers of yours touching me.”

“Have you now?” Clyde’s lips quirked upwards for a moment before he reached behind her, arranging the pillows so she would be as comfortable as possible. “Lay back more, darlin’. I’ll take care of ya.” He helped Rey lay back as best he could before leaning in and kissing her, working the buttons of the shirt she was wearing with his hand as they kissed. Finally, when he had them all undone, he pushed at the material until it was open, allowing her beautiful skin to be exposed to him for the first time.

Clyde pulled away, his eyes taking in all of her – because, as he had expected – she wasn’t wearing anything under his shirt. Swallowing thickly, his eyes met hers again, her lips curving into a coy smile as she pushed the fabric off her shoulders, squirming slightly from side to side until she had the fabric completely away from her body, tossing it over the side of the bed to pool on the floor.

“So… your turn.” Rey’s eyes moved down Clyde’s body to his sleep pants, where it was apparent how thoroughly excited he already was, the fabric tented upwards enough to make her want to gasp at how large he appeared to be. “Take off your clothes for me. I want to see you too.”

His face flushed as he got off the bed, his eyes never leaving Rey’s as he pulled his shirt off, tossing it on top of the shirt she had discarded already on the floor, before taking in a deep breath and pulling his sleep pants off his body, watching Rey’s reaction as his already hard cock came into sight.

Rey let a long, hissed breath leave her lips, her mouth going dry at the sight of her man completely naked and aroused before her. “You’re glorious,” she finally managed to say, her eyes raking over him once more as he moved closer, climbing back onto the bed gently, so he didn’t jostle her too much. Something primal came to life in her, and all she could think was  _ Mine. He belongs to me. I make him have that reaction. _

Lowering himself next to her again, Clyde looked at her, his hand gently tracing patterns of heat along her arm and down to one breast. “You’re as perfect as I dreamed ya were, darlin’. You’re an angel, for sure.” His hand cupped her breast as he captured her lips again, and his thumb and forefinger rolled her nipple gently between them. Rey gasped into his mouth, her core already moist and clenching at the feeling of his hand on her bare skin. Clyde moved his lips from her mouth, kissing a gentle path to her ear, where he mouthed at the delicate lobe for a moment, his whispered, “I love you,” making her desire for him heighten even more.

Her hands carded through his hair as he kissed his way down, over her delicate shoulder to capture a nipple in his mouth, laving gently at the hardened nub as his hand moved to cup the other breast. The feeling of his tongue, rough and gentle at the same time on her nipple, along with his fingers rolling her other nipple between them, had her core clenching even harder, and Rey wanted to ease the ache growing inside her somehow. She rubbed her thighs together, Clyde’s lips travelling to the other nipple now, his hand now free to trace more heat down her stomach until it reached the apex of her thighs, his fingers combing through the trimmed patch of hair there.

He pulled his lips off her nipple with a soft pop, looking up at her and giving her a soft smile. “I wanna use my mouth on you,” Clyde said, his voice low and sultry as his finger slid through her slick folds slowly. “You’re so wet for me, darlin’. You’re exquisite. But I ain’t gonna use my mouth, ‘cuz, frankly, darlin’, when I do that, I ain’t stopping until you’re completely spent, and we both know ya can’t handle that right now with those ribs of yours. I said I’d take care of ya, though, and I will. I’ll just have to resort to usin’ my fingers… since ya been dreamin’ of ‘em and all.”

Rey let out a small moan in answer before Clyde’s lips met hers again, his finger stroking through her folds in a slow pace that already made her want to cant her hips to get more friction against them. He pulled his lips away from her long enough to murmur, “Shh, darlin’, ya can’t fuss a lot, I got ya.”

Clyde changed his positioning, so he could drape his stump across her hips gently, his fingers still working through her slick folds for a few more moments before he gently slid a finger inside her, his cock twitching appreciatively at the feeling of her walls closing around his digit. Rey moaned, trying to move underneath him, but Clyde held her firmly – yet gently – and continued his ministrations, whispering to her as he pumped his thick finger in and out of her slowly, his thumb moving to her aching clit and stroking it slowly.

“You’re so tight, darlin’. I can’t wait to sink myself into ya, or to use my mouth on ya right proper, but this will do for now. I can’t wait to watch ya fall apart, knowing I made ya feel this way is makin’ me hard as a rock, sweetheart. You’re so beautiful, Rey, the most beautiful thing I ever laid my eyes on. I’m so lucky to have ya.”

Rey let out a whimper at the growing coil of desire growing inside her. The pressure was a delicious tension, and Clyde’s finger inside her was ratcheting it up, causing her to reach out with her good hand, twisting her fingers into his long, silky hair as she bit down on her bottom lip, a low moan leaving her lips. Words were beyond her right now, and she could only imagine the delicious things his mouth and tongue would do to her when she was healed up from her injuries. She tried to cant her hips, begging Clyde to let her, but he remained firm in his resolve, sliding another finger inside her, setting a faster pace with fingers and thumb now. His eyes never left hers, and the delicious things he was whispering to her in that slow drawl of his had her almost over the top, before he finally slid a third finger in her, causing the dam to burst, her nerve endings firing at once in the most delicious onslaught of pleasure she had ever felt. She cried out his name, coating his fingers with her essence, and Clyde worked her through the waves of pleasure as they crashed over her, only stopping when her ache was eased completely.

“Oh, darlin’.” Clyde kissed her softly as he withdrew his fingers from her. “Ya okay? That didn’t make ya hurt too bad, did it?”

Rey shook her head, her hand combing through his hair. “Only hurt in the best way. You’re a talented man, Mister Logan. I only wish you could show me those other hidden talents of yours tonight.” Rey smiled, pulling him down towards her for another kiss. “Now, I need you to lie back, so I can take care of my man.”

“Now, darlin’, ya don’t need to, I don’t want ya to hurt yourself none.” Clyde looked into her eyes and he could see this was one of those fights he probably wouldn’t win – not that he would complain much. Having her hands or mouth on him was definitely one of the best things in his life.

Rey’s good hand against his chest, pushing him back gently, was yet another clue that Clyde wouldn’t win this fight, and so he sank back onto the mattress, his eyes burning with desire as he watched her carefully move to position herself for what she had in mind.

“I love you, and you took such good care of me, handsome, but I need to take care of you too.” Rey’s slender frame stretched out against his side, her good hand moving up to pull his face down to hers so she could kiss him before letting her hand slide down his body, exploring every muscle and beauty mark as she descended down his frame, their kiss deepening with every slide of her hand southward.

Finally, her hand slid over his thick cock, and both of them drew in a breath with a hiss. Rey let her slender fingers drift from the tip down his shaft and back up, using the precum at the tip to lubricate the sensitive skin. Rey pulled away from their kiss, watching as he threw his head back slightly, leaving his neck open for her lips to assault.

“God, darlin’, ya feel good, wrapped around me like that… I can only imagine what it’s gonna feel like to sink inside ya…” Clyde’s voice was husky with desire, and Rey smirked against the skin on his neck as she planted another kiss there, her hand moving slowly up and down his thickness.

Rey stopped moving when she felt Clyde’s hand close around hers, her eyes meeting his as she pulled away from his ministrations to his neck and jaw.

“Lemme help ya… your hand feels so good, but I know I’m big…” Clyde leaned in, his lips tugging softly at her earlobe again as Rey let his much larger hand guide hers on his length.  A low groan left his lips as she stroked his length, their lips meeting over and over as the sounds of slick skin sliding against each other, as well as low moans and the sound of her name coming breathlessly from his lips between kisses, filled the air.

Rey could feel him hardening even more under her hand, until he threw his head back one last time, her name leaving his lips like a benediction as he came, his spend covering both their hands. Clyde fell back on the pillows even more, his breath coming in gasps and shudders coursing through his body, until he finally stilled, his hand releasing hers as he looked into her eyes.

“You’re the best thing that ever came into my life, darlin’. I… I didn’t hurt ya, did I?” Clyde kissed her again, waiting for her answer. When she shook her head, he smiled and kissed her forehead before sliding off the bed carefully and disappearing into the bathroom, reappearing a few moments later with a washcloth in hand. He was gentle in his caring for her, wiping up the remnants of their pleasure from her. Rey simply watched him, a wistful smile on her face. He left once more to put the washcloth in the clothes basket before returning and sliding into bed beside her, pulling her carefully into his arms. He hummed quietly as her head came to rest on his chest.

Reaching over to the nightstand, Clyde grabbed the remote and handed it to Rey. “Watch your silly show ‘til we fall asleep, darlin’.”

….

When Rey left him the next day to return to Pittsburgh, it was with a smile and tears in her eyes. Clyde had made sure she was taken care of again that morning, after they woke up tangled in each other, and after they were done and she was snuggled against him contentedly again, he had reached down with his hand, grabbing his ring – that hadn’t left her neck since he had put it there – placing a kiss against the silver horseshoe before whispering, “So ya can touch it and know I’m kissin’ ya in my dreams.” Rey had pulled him down to her and kissed him breathless, knowing that she would never find another man as sweet as him to love.

Even though she was leaving him again – this time, she knew she’d return. She’d always come back home to him. Clyde had kissed her goodbye – many times – pretending not to wipe the tears from his eyes as he watched her pull her car out of his driveway.

It wasn’t until she was at a rest stop two hours later that she found the first post it note, cradled inside her wallet. It said simply,  _ I never knew my entire world could rest with one person – but now I do. You’re my world, Rey. I love you. _

“And you’re mine, Clyde. You’re mine,” Rey said softly before wiping the tears out of her eyes and heading into the rest stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife) (All the twitters - I know them!)


	11. She's Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey surprises Clyde in the most delicious way, fishing in the dark, a high school reunion... and a cliffhanger ending - what's goin' on in Boone County?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! This chapter is my longest yet, and I hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> Thanks to my lovely beta and moodboard artist - [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite). Definitely give her writing some love, she's fantastic.
> 
> Also, a huge thank you to my Boo, my beta bestie and my main secret keeper - [commandercrouton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton)!
> 
> I honestly couldn't do it without either of them!
> 
> TW: Gun violence. Might wanna avoid the very end.
> 
> Now, as Maz Kanata would say: "Let's get to it!"

[ ](https://imgur.com/NMuw6UC)

For the next two weeks, Rey found the post-it notes  _ everywhere _ . In her glove box, in the pockets of her clothes when she did laundry, even. She even found them throughout the book she had borrowed from Clyde, stashed every hundred pages or so. Every one of them a little declaration of love, or Clyde reminding her how beautiful she was, and how much he treasured her.

The ring he had given her never left her neck, and Rey would find herself reaching up during the day to clutch it, letting the warm feeling of his love wash over her. She hated being on desk duty, pouring over old case files and trying to keep from falling asleep – but until her wrist was healed and she had rehabbed it – she was screwed as far as field work went.

Clyde would laugh about it every night when they video chatted. He was probably one of the only people on Earth who didn’t know how to video chat, but luckily Mellie and Jimmy had given him some lessons. It was nice to see his face every day. It eased the ache she felt, and the desire to drive the five hours to him, just so she could feel his arms around her again. Rey was so independent, so missing someone as much as she missed Clyde was definitely a new experience for her.

She sat on her couch, shaking her head as Clyde sat in his office at the Duck Tape, talking about the antics of everyone in Boone County. Rey had to laugh – because her man knew all the gossip – even if he claimed he got it from his sister.

“Ya got that appointment with the doc tomorrow, right?” Clyde asked, leaning back in his chair and glancing out towards the bar for a moment before looking back at his phone.

“Yes, in the morning.”

“Text me when you’re done so I know what’s goin’ on?” Clyde gave her a lopsided smile, and Rey felt her heart melt. This man had her heart so utterly and completely, and he had no idea how adorable he was sometimes.

“Of course. It’s not like we don’t text each other all day anyways,” Rey said, smiling back at him.

Clyde looked back to the bar once more. “I gotta go, darlin’. Old Billy’s had five too many, and he’s fixin’ to scrap with Kenny.” Clyde pressed his index finger against his lips before pressing it to the screen of his phone. “Love you, darlin’.”

Rey returned the gesture, a smile on her face as she replied, “Love you too.”

She found another post-it note later that night, her eyes glistening with tears as she read Clyde’s words.

_ You will always be my everything. –C _

….

“Did ya eat yet, darlin’?”

It was the next afternoon, and Rey could hear Clyde moving boxes around inside the beer cooler as they talked.

“Nah. I went straight from the doctor’s to the office to give Holdo some paperwork. The doctor wants me to take the rest of the day off. He says my ankle should be healed better than it is.” Rey sighed, rolling her eyes. Sure, she might be limping every once in a while – but surely she didn’t need another whole day off of sitting in her apartment doing nothing – did she?

“Huh. Wonder if that’s cuz ya refuse ta sit yourself down when you’re told to. Ya know, makin’ people breakfast and dancin’ around their kitchen and whatnot… Ya need me to come on up there and make ya sit for a day or five?” Clyde chuckled before asking, “How’s the ribs doin’?”

“Better. Doc says those look better. It doesn’t hurt to breathe anymore.” Rey sighed and glanced around her apartment. She was sitting on her couch, with her foot elevated and an ice pack perched on it. The sound of her doorbell rang through the air, and she heard Clyde chuckle again.

“Maybe ya ought ta see ta that. I’m bettin’ maybe someone ordered ya some food or somethin’.”

Rey shook her head in disbelief. She wasn’t used to being cared for – but here was her boyfriend – a state away, ordering food for her because she was too sore and tired to want to cook anything for herself.

She didn’t deserve him – but Rey thanked the Universe every morning when she woke that she had someone like Clyde in her life.

Hobbling to the door, Rey stood to one side of it, her hand on her pepper spray as she peered through the peephole. A delivery man stood there, yet Rey still used an abundance of caution as she undid one chain on her door and opened it a tiny bit to peer out at him.

“Can I help you?”

“Yeah, I have a delivery for Sands? A large pizza?” The man peered through the crack in the door, looking nervously like he wanted to turn and bolt.

“One moment.” Rey called over her shoulder towards her phone, “Did you order a pizza for me?”

“Sure did. Double pepperoni, double cheese, mushrooms, onions and black olives. Just like ya like it.”

Rey shook her head slightly before she pulled the last of the chains off the lock, opening the door more. She gave the delivery man a smile as she signed the receipt before taking the steaming hot pizza box and relocking the door.

Heading back towards the living room, Rey shook her head softly. “Have I ever told you that you’re amazing, and I am the luckiest girl in the world to have you?”

Rey could tell Clyde was smiling, even without seeing him. “Oh, I reckon ya told me a time or two. Don’t mean I don’t like hearin’ it, though. Now, go get some food in ya, and I will talk to ya later tonight. I can’t believe I’m getting’ to see ya in three days.”

“Me neither. Love you, big guy. We’ll talk tonight.”

As Rey dug into her pizza, a smile came to her lips as she thought about seeing Clyde again. Thinking about him, and about Boone County, always made her feel like she was going home.

_ If home is a person, then Clyde is my home. _

….

Clyde tried to ignore the countdown he had going in his brain, the hours ticking by seemed to take a day. Soon, he would have his gal in his arms again, and it left him feeling like time was standing still. Sure, the video chats and texts helped, but nothing could equal having Rey with him in the flesh.

As he pulled his truck out of the parking lot after closing down the bar on Thursday, his mental countdown clicked off another day. It was one day closer to him seeing Rey, and his excitement grew as he headed home. He missed her something fierce, and he needed that woman almost as much as he needed air in his lungs to breathe. Oh, he was crazy in love, he knew, and Clyde just hoped they could find a way to make it all work somehow. He could never ask her to leave a job she loved, and she knew his roots were deep in Boone County soil.

He would do what he had to do to make it work. Rey was worth it.

The sight of a car in his driveway had Clyde’s curiosity raised, and a grin came to his lips as he pulled his truck into the driveway beside it. Rey hadn’t told him she was coming in a day earlier than she had planned – but any opportunity to spend extra time with her was just fine with him.

Rey loved it when a plan came together – especially a plan that involved Clyde Logan and spending extra time with him. It had been easy enough to text Mellie to let her know she was coming into town a night early. The doctor had told her to take things easy until the following week, after all – and Rey couldn’t imagine taking things easy anywhere else but Boone County.

The front door opened, and she could hear Clyde’s heavy footsteps making their way through his house. Rey was lying in his bed, a thin sheet drawn over her naked body. She heard Clyde’s steps stop outside the bedroom door, and Rey smirked, closing her eyes and trying to even out her breathing to appear like she was sleeping.

Clyde opened the door to his home quietly, trying to refrain from running inside to scoop Rey up in his arms. The house was dark, though, and he let a smile come to his lips as he made his way through his home, stopping outside his bedroom door. Opening the door softly, Clyde stepped inside, his eyes immediately going to the figure lying in his bed, a sheet drawn over her body.

He was almost overcome by a wave of emotion as he looked at her, and as he moved to the bed, sitting down on his side as softly as he could, her voice rang out softly through the darkness, “Are you going to kiss me hello, or just keep staring at me?”

Clyde chuckled, leaning in to nuzzle Rey’s cheek softly before kissing her. “I didn’t want ta wake ya none, darlin’. It’s late. Mellie let ya in, I’m guessin’? I’ll getcha a key made this weekend if ya want one.”

Rey sighed as Clyde’s lips met hers, and as he started talking, she wrapped her arms around his neck. After he uttered his last word, she pulled his face to hers, claiming his lips in a deep kiss. As she pulled away, she smirked into the darkness. “You smell like you’ve been in a bar all night, Mr. Logan. Go take a shower and come to bed.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Clyde said, standing and heading towards the bathroom. As his hand met the door knob, Rey’s voice came to him once more.

“Clyde?”

“Yeah, darlin’?” Clyde half-turned so he could look back towards the bed, and her words caused his heart to start pounding in his chest.

“Don’t bother wearing clothes to bed. I’m not.”

Clyde smirked and answered her with two words before heading into the bathroom to shower. “Yes, ma’am.”

He wasted no time in showering and brushing his teeth, making sure every last vestige of his business was off his body before he left the bathroom, completely naked as he crawled carefully onto his side of the bed. It was strange now, for him to think about the fact that he had a  _ side _ of the bed, even when Rey was back in Pittsburgh.

She had changed things in so many ways for him, and Clyde wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“Hey, big guy,” Rey’s voice was tender as he settled himself on the mattress.

“Hey yerself, beautiful. Helluva way to surprise a guy, not that I’m complainin’ a’tall. Sure have missed ya somethin’ fierce, darlin’.” Clyde sighed happily as Rey traversed the distance between them, nestling herself in his arms, her naked flesh meeting his as she kissed his chest, sending shivers dancing across his skin.

“Rey, darlin’, you’re still hurt. We got time for all this. I want ya to heal.” Rey’s lips were pressing to his almost desperately, over and over again, barely giving him time to speak before she kissed him again. Her fingers danced, feather light, over his skin, skimming down his chest and stomach and stopping to explore the patch of hair leading down to his already hard length.

_ What this woman does to me, _ Clyde thought to himself as a low moan left his lips at her ministrations.

Rey’s lips danced across his skin, her palms coming up to rest on his chest. “Lay on your back, handsome. Let your gal take care of you tonight. I promise, we’ll both enjoy it, and I won’t hurt myself. Do you know how bad I have wanted this since I went home?”

Clyde lay back against his pillow as his lady commanded, giving her a smile as she spoke. “I can reckon ya been thinkin’ about it as much as I have, darlin’.”

“More,” Rey said quietly, her hand sliding over his length from the tip, down over the shaft and then back up. Clyde could feel goosebumps forming on his skin, and he drew in a hissed breath as she continued stroking him, her next words warm in his ear, “I touched myself every night thinking about you. Thinking about how good it would feel to have you inside me, to watch your face as I fall apart around you.”

“Jesus, Rey…” Clyde mumbled as her hot tongue licked his earlobe, her hand still stroking him slowly.

“I want you more than I have ever wanted a man before, Clyde. Your voice… your fucking voice makes me so wet. You have no idea what you do to me.” Rey licked his earlobe once more before leaning in and kissing his neck, trailing her lips up to his before claiming them in a deep kiss.

Her hand left his length, and he felt it twitch once at the loss of her touch, and then Clyde watched as she straddled him, her skin glimmering silk in the moonlit bedroom over him. Clyde reached up his hand, cupping her breast as his eyes met hers. His thumb danced over her taut nipple, and she let out a small shuddering moan at the feeling.

She was exquisite – like silk – and Clyde knew he’d spend every day of the rest of his life worshipping her.

“Rey, yer the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, the way ya look at me, like right now…” Clyde’s voice was a low whisper as his hand went to her other breast, his thumb working its magic across that nipple, as well.

“Clyde,” Rey moaned, her core leaving a wet trail across his thighs as she threw her head back slightly. His hand trailed over her stomach and downward, parting a seam through the soft curls at the apex of her thighs, and then parting her slickened folds, his thumb finding the swollen button that would make her fall apart. One thick finger sunk inside her, and Rey let out a moan, electricity sweeping through her nerve endings as Clyde worked her, his eyes never leaving hers as he talked to her, his low, dulcet Southern drawl driving her over the edge quickly, waves of passion overtaking her. Clyde helped her ride them, until she was a shuddering mess against his chest, her lips meeting his, her teeth clamping down on his bottom lip as her body quaked one last time.

Clyde pulled his hand out from between them, his fingers soaked with her essence, and with a small tilt upwards of one side of his lips, he sucked each clean, making a show of using his tongue to lap at the tissue. The sound Rey made was downright filthy as she watched him.

Leaning down, Rey kissed him again, her tongue dancing with his as his hand slid all over her skin, touching and teasing every inch he encountered. As he cupped the globe of her perfect ass, Rey pulled her lips away from his, focusing her attention on his earlobe once more.

“I can’t wait to feel you inside me. I have been dreaming about this, waking up in a cold sweat, wet and wanting you,” Rey whispered in his ear, reaching down with one hand to grasp his cock, readying it at the entrance of her core. Gliding the tip through her slick folds, Rey let out a low whimper, nibbling at his earlobe one last time before she slid down his body, sheathing his length only part of the way inside her as she shuddered for a moment before stilling, enjoying the stretch and sting where his cock filled her. Kissing him once more, Rey pulled away from him, sitting upwards and letting a moan roll past her lips as he slipped the rest of the way inside her, sheathed deep within and filling her completely now.

“Oh, darlin’, Rey…” Clyde’s voice came to her in a breathless whisper, his hand sliding up her body to cup her breast again. “Ya truly are an angel, ya feel so divine… like ya were made for me.”

Rey let out a moan in response, rolling her hips ever so slightly, liking the way her walls pulled and tugged at his length. Clyde’s hand moved from her breast to the globe of her ass, and as he squeezed the firm skin there, Rey began to move, rolling her hips slowly at first, and then picking up speed as the tight coil in her belly grew. “Clyde, oh Clyde,” she gasped, the sound of their breathy gasps and her skin meeting his, the only sounds filling the room.

“Oh, darlin’, ya feel so good, ya were meant for me.” Clyde’s murmurs met her ears, spurring her to roll her hips faster. His fingers pressed into her ass, a low moan rolling from his lips and his hips snapped upwards to meet hers. The feeling of him moving with her, creating sweet friction in their most intimate place and  _ joining _ them as one being had Rey whimpering in pleasure, frissons of sweet electricity coursing through her body. Her eyes snapped open, meeting Clyde’s, and what she saw in them drove her over the edge.

Her man  _ worshipped _ her, and he looked at her like she was the sun he was orbiting around. His eyes were molten amber as he watched her come apart on top of him, and he brought his left arm down to her hip, using the stump to hold her down along with the hand on her ass as he drove his hips up into her, seeking his own release.

He saw stars as he came, painting her slick walls with his spend as he growled out her name.

“Darlin’…” Clyde growled as she collapsed onto his chest, his arms going around her to hold her close as he kissed her hard, still panting from the exertion of their lovemaking. They both lay together, lips melded and tongues tangled, until Rey slid off his torso, lying on her side, facing him as she looked into his eyes.

Clyde just gazed at her, his fingers threading through her sex-tousled hair, and when tears sprang to her eyes he pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head as she nuzzled her face into his chest. “Darlin’, whatsa matter? Why the tears? Did I… Did I hurt ya at all?”

“No,” Rey said quietly, “It’s just… the way you looked at me, it was like… I felt so loved. It was like you were worshipping me or something. I’ve just never felt anything so intense before.” She kissed his chest gently, running a hand over his muscular shoulder. “I just… I went through life not knowing what it was like to be loved, truly loved.”

Clyde was silent for a moment before he asked, “Do ya like the way it feels? I want ya to feel how much I love ya every day – every minute if I could manage it. Ya mean the world to me, Rey.”

“I know you do. I don’t deserve all this. I don’t deserve you, or your family. None of it.” Rey sighed, snuggling closer to Clyde, her casted arm scratching across his back as she moved.

“Yes, ya do, darlin’. Ya ever think there’s a reason ya got sent down here? Some cosmic reason we were meant to meet? Whatever brought ya to me, I’m glad. I’m not lettin’ ya go now, and if I gotta double my efforts to prove to ya how much I love ya and want ya, I guess I will.” Clyde kissed her head gently before murmuring, “You’re incredible, and I’m glad you’re my girl.”

“Me too. Love you.” Rey sighed, closing her eyes as she listened to Clyde’s chest beating under her ear and letting it lull her to sleep.

….

Waking up next to Clyde was… soothing. It felt like home, being wrapped in his strong arms, her legs tangled in his. He had the cutest expression on his face when she kissed him awake, his eyes heavy-lidded and sleepy as he smiled at her. “Mornin’,” he whispered, his head falling back on the pillow and his hair splaying out on it. Rey giggled, knowing he needed to sleep more, and she leaned over and nuzzled his neck, planting small kisses there.

“Go back to sleep, darlin’. Ain’t time ta be up yet, someone kept me up half the night, y’see…” Clyde grumbled, his arms tightening around her. 

Rey grinned, breathing into his ear before licking the lobe of it and whispering, “Get used to it.”

Clyde shuddered involuntarily. “Minx.”

“Your minx,” Rey murmured, snuggling back against his chest with a happy sigh.

When they woke the second time, it was Clyde kissing Rey this time, and she thought her heart would burst with happiness as he gazed into her eyes and told her how much he loved her. It was hard for her to remember now just how she had ever resisted her attraction to this man. The way he looked at her, the way he touched her – almost reverently – she would never find anyone else like him. She didn’t want to find anyone else. Her home – her place in the world – was here with Clyde. It grew more apparent every day.

“I gotta get up, darlin’. Gotta get ta the bar.” Clyde ran a hand through her hair, smiling at her.

“No you don’t. Mellie said to tell you it’s covered, and that you are supposed to take me fishing in the dark? I’m not sure what that means, exactly.” Rey pulled herself closer to Clyde, letting out a small moan as his fingertips scratched her scalp.

“She did, did she? Figures she’d plan our night for us. I suppose a night spent along with ya at the river is better than a night slingin’ drinks and bustin’ up fights. Ya ever been fishin’ before?” Clyde sighed in contentment as Rey closed her eyes, his fingers raking through her hair and scratching lightly at her scalp, just like he knew she liked it. He knew his girl well, and if he was a betting man, he would bet that she had never been fishing.

“No. I haven’t. But – with you, I’m looking forward to trying it.” Rey smiled, reaching up to touch his face, her fingers dancing over the skin there lightly. “I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t enjoy experiencing with you. I mean – my playlist is full of all this crazy country music now, and I wear this old shirt around my house just because it smells like you…”

“So ya did steal that shirt… ya thief, you…” Clyde grinned and leaned in to kiss her. “I bet ya look sexy in it too.”

“Maybe. I don’t wear anything else underneath it.” Rey grinned, knowing that would get a reaction from her man, and with the way he kissed her, her assumption was right. Finally, she pulled herself away, murmuring, “Let’s go take a shower, big guy. Then we can start our day.”

Taking a shower with Rey was –  _ interesting _ . He’d never had to share a shower with someone before, and the sight of his very naked, very sexy, very  _ wet _ girlfriend in front of him in the confined space had him as hard as a rock in mere seconds. They washed each other slowly, their lips pressed together the whole time, and when Clyde finally couldn’t take it anymore, he lifted her up and, using the shower wall to brace her, entered her gently. It didn’t take either of them long to reach their pleasure, and as they emerged from the shower and dressed, Clyde couldn’t help but wonder if there was a way they could be together like this every day without Rey giving up her career.

He wanted that more than almost anything. He wanted Rey in his bed and his home every single day.

“Rey, um..” Clyde stopped as Rey turned towards him, still half-dressed with her breasts still exposed.

“Yeah, handsome? What’s on your mind? I can always tell when you want to say something important, but don’t know how.” Rey smiled at him, letting her eyes trail down his still bare chest, to the ‘V’ of hair that she immediately wanted to lick. Her man was a thing of beauty, and Rey was still in awe of the fact that he loved her like he did.

“I…” Clyde licked his lips, trying not to pout as she finished putting her bra and shirt on. “I just…” Clyde ran his hand through his still wet hair, his face coloring slightly. “I was just thinkin’ it’d be nice to have ya here every day, wakin’ up together, goin’ to bed together…”

Rey smiled at him, crossing the room and putting a hand on his chest, trailing it down to his happy trail as she kissed him. “Clyde Logan, did you just ask me to move in with you?”

“I, uhhh.” The feel of Rey’s hand on him, and her lips on his was quickly making him forget what he had said. He finally pulled away slightly, his jaw working nervously as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I’d love that, darlin’. Is there any way we can make it happen? I just… I want ya with me. I hate this separation; it feels like half my heart is gone when ya leave.”

“Oh, Clyde… I feel the same. The only time I feel right is when I am here with you, but I love my job. I can’t just quit. I… maybe I could ask for a transfer closer? I don’t know. The FBI kind of just tells you where to go and when to do it. I just… let’s be patient and see what happens? I love you enough to do that.” Rey kissed him again, her fingers tangling in his still wet hair.

“Oh, darlin’, I love ya too. I’m willin’ ta do whatever it takes ta have ya in my life.”

….

They spent the afternoon wrapped up in a happy little bubble, constantly touching the other – whether it was sitting on the couch – or several blissful hours spent back in their bed. When dinner time rolled around, Clyde roused Rey from her slumber beside him with a kiss.

“C’mon, darlin’. We got fish ta catch and cook and a night under the stars ta look forward to.”

Rey stretched languidly, humming under her breath. “Alright. I just want to spend time with you. I mean, the last time we did this was the night I admitted I loved you. Are we going to the same spot?”

Clyde nodded, his eyes twinkling happily. “We are, I still got the sleepin’ bags in the truck. We need to get some ice for the cooler, and some bait. My fishin’ poles are in the truck too.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Now, c’mon, gorgeous. Get yerself outta bed before we distract ourselves again.”

The Little Coal River was still as relaxing and beautiful as she remembered it, the fireflies dancing lazily over the rushing water, and the sounds of nightbirds calling to their mates on the soft breeze. The tall reeds and cattails created just another part of the backdrop as Clyde backed the truck into the same spot they had been in the night she told him she loved him.

Rey had been rolling around Clyde’s offer in her brain since the words had left his mouth earlier. Reaching up, she grasped the ring hanging from the chain around her neck, clinging to it as she thought. She wanted to be with him, every day. She wanted to share every aspect of her life with him, and she wanted the family that came along with being his. She’d never had a family of her own – but here she was, being offered one – along with the man she was head over heels in love with.

“Darlin’, yer a million miles away,” Clyde’s voice broke through her reverie. “Ya okay?” He was looking at her with concern, standing at her side of the truck with the door open.

“Yeah, I’m great, actually. Just thinking about your offer from earlier.” Rey smiled at him, taking his hand to get out of the truck so she wouldn’t harm her healing ankle any. Once she was on the ground, she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly. “You snore, though. Maybe I’d have to sleep on the couch…” Rey teased him, grinning as she pulled herself away from him.

“Aw, hell no ya ain’t doin’ that, ya vixen!” Clyde grinned, smacking her bottom playfully. “I don’t snore, do I?”

“I can buy earplugs,” Rey replied with a smirk, letting out a playful scream as Clyde smacked her bottom playfully again. Leaning into her man’s chest once again, Rey’s arms circled his neck a second time as she kissed him, then pulled away to trail kisses to his earlobe before suckling it gently. “You don’t snore. I was teasing.”

Clyde scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to the bed of the truck and plopping her down on the tailgate. Rey giggled, and as soon as she was sitting on the tailgate, she pulled Clyde close, kissing him thoroughly. Once she was satisfied that she had him thoroughly flustered, she released him, grinning at him again. “Okay, big guy, show me how to catch some fish!”

Rey never knew learning how to catch fish – which included learning how to bait a hook – could be so fun. She spent most of the night sitting in front of Clyde, his strong arms wrapped around her as he taught her how to cast out and reel in. They managed to catch a few fish that Clyde deemed ‘keepers’, and as he prepared them to eat after starting a small campfire, Rey couldn’t keep her eyes off him. Clyde Logan did more with one hand than most men did with both. She loved watching him work, humming to the song playing on the radio, and sometimes singing along, and every few minutes, he would look up at her and  _ smile _ , and Rey would find herself melting inside all over again.

She  _ loved _ this man – with everything inside her. She wanted a future with him – the good, the bad and the in between. She wanted to sit on the front porch swing with him in fifty years, talking about their grandchildren and how proud they were of them. Her love for him terrified her as much as it exhilarated her. She wasn’t sure if it was supposed to feel like this – so all-consuming – but she couldn’t deny it.

As he made a beer batter for the fish, Rey swung her legs over the tailgate, chewing her bottom lip as she thought. Reaching up to grasp the ring hanging around her neck once more, she finally blurted out, “Have you ever been in love before?”

Clyde looked up at her, a lock of hair falling onto his forehead as he smiled at her. “Not like this. I mean, I dated some, in the Army and all, but nothin’ serious. No one that made me feel like I do about you. And the gals here – they all wanted Jimmy, not me. I was all ears n’ legs back then, ya see. Still am, ta be honest. Then ya came along and that was it.” He shrugged before looking back at the food, which was now in a pan on top of the fire. “How about you?”

Rey shook her head slowly, sliding her finger inside the ring and down to the base of the digit. “Nope. I’ve always been on my own. Casual dates here and there, I just… I never felt like I belonged. Until now.”

Clyde nodded in that way she loved, a half-smirk on his face as he replied, “Well, ain’t we just a match made in heaven?”

“That we are, handsome. That we are.”

….

As it turned out, Clyde was an amazing campfire chef, and after they ate, they sat close to each other by the fire in camp chairs, just enjoying the night breeze. The moon was high in the sky when Clyde said, “Ya wanna lay out in the sleeping bags like we did last time?”

“Yeah,” Rey said, reaching over and twining her fingers in his hand.

Clyde leaned over and kissed her, his tongue sliding over hers and his hand moving from twined in hers to buried in her hair. Pulling away, he murmured, “Ya know, there’s been somethin’ I been wantin’ ta do, and now that you’re all healed up, I think it’s time I took care of ya properly.” Smiling at her, he winked before turning and setting up the sleeping bags, rolling them out in the bed of the truck behind her, along with two pillows he had stashed after the last time they slept here.

“Mosey on up there, darlin’, and lie back on the pillow.”

Rey did as Clyde asked, and a moment later, his form was covering hers, his lips working against hers. It took some doing as he only had one hand to work with, but soon he had divested her of her shirt and bra, and was working on her pants when Rey batted his hand away in annoyance.

“You’re taking far too long. I want to  _ feel _ you,” she whined as she worked her pants and lace panties down.

“And what if I was planning to take down those pretty panties with my teeth?” Clyde smirked at his impatient girl, running his hand over the swell of her breasts.

“Then there’s tomorrow night, isn’t there?” Rey responded, clenching her thighs together in anticipation of feeling Clyde inside her. She was wet already, soaked just for him.

“That there is,” Clyde answered with a smirk, kissing her once more before trailing kisses over her exposed skin, stopping to give her breasts and taut nipples attention. His hand slid down her body, his thick finger sliding between her slick folds, wetting it before sliding it into her warmth, his thumb going to work on the swollen nub of her clit.

Rey drew in a breath, arching her back to try and gain more friction. She was already wet and needy, aching to feel him inside her, and his wet kisses and tongue swirling over her skin as he moved down her body drew a moan from her, her hands delving deep into his silky tresses as he worked his magic on her body. He made her feel alive in the most delicious way, and Rey would never tire of feeling his skin against hers.

“Clyde, oh, sweetheart,” Rey murmured as she felt his breath ghosting over her inner thigh as he settled between her legs. His finger started a slow rhythm before he added a second digit, the delicious stretch around them bringing forth another moan from her as her fingers fisted in his hair briefly. He kissed the inner thigh of one leg, then the other, before parting her lips with his tongue with a slow lick from her core to her nub.

Rey shuddered, panting, and her fingers fisting in his hair once more. Clyde let out a hot breath across her swollen nub, his fingers working inside her, and he crooked them so they would hit the spongy pleasure center inside her just the right way. His tongue took the place of his thumb on her clit as he sucked it into his mouth, rolling his tongue around it while he listened to her moan his name over and over. Rey was tugging on his hair, her hips starting to roll against his mouth. She tasted exquisite, and Clyde let out a low growl, his stump resting across her stomach gently to keep her from moving too much.

He wanted to make her feel better than she ever had in her life.

“Clyde, oh Clyde… god, I love you so much…” Rey moaned, her words turning into incomprehensible moans and gasps as he worked her clit with his talented tongue and lips. The way he was tending to her with such tenderness, knowing where exactly to touch and nibble on her had her reeling, his arm over his stomach only allowing her to move a little. Her hips rolled as much as they could against his lips and tongue as his fingers worked their magic inside her, her walls clenching against them.

Stars burst behind her eyes as she came, her yell causing the wildlife to go silent for a moment before resuming their nighttime din. Her hands remained tangled in Clyde’s hair for a few moments as she panted, trying to catch her breath.

Finally, Clyde slid back up her body, looking down into her eyes. Rey smiled at him, her arms going around his neck as she pulled him in for a long kiss. She could taste herself on him, which brought on a new wave of arousal. This man owned her heart and soul, and had changed her in ways she had never thought possible.

“You have too many clothes on. I want to feel you,” Rey murmured to him before kissing him again, her fingers dancing down his body to the hem of his shirt, where she pulled it over his head and tossed it towards the back of the truck bed. She took a few minutes to let her hands rove over his torso, from his muscular chest to his arms and down, once again fighting the urge to lick the happy trail that led down into his pants. Instead, her fingers worked the button and zipper of his jeans, and she pushed the material down as far as she could, their kiss finally ending as Clyde worked his jeans off. His boxers followed his pants next, the loss of them made quicker by Rey’s nimble fingers and the promises she was whispering in his ear.

Finally, free of his cloth restrictions, Clyde could properly feel Rey’s skin against his, and as his length hung, heavy and ready against her thigh, Rey kissed him again, biting his bottom lip gently and letting out a wanton growl. That was enough for Clyde, who positioned himself at the entrance to her warm heat, letting out a long moan as he sank into her again.

He let himself sink further and further into her slowly, his lips capturing hers passionately, until he was fully sheathed inside her, her slick walls squeezing his length entirely. After a few blissful moments of feeling completely joined with another human being, Clyde started to move slowly, her walls squeezing and tugging at him with every movement of his hips against hers. Clyde leaned his forehead against hers as they moved together, whispering to her how much he loved her and how beautiful she was. With every pull and tug of their bodies against the others, they grew closer to their crescendo, their now sweat-slickened bodies sliding against the others - a tangle of hands, tongues and the sweet sounds of lovemaking mingling with the night air.

Finally, they crested together, and with a final roll of their hips, they tipped over the edge together, riding their waves of pleasure until they were a sweaty, panting mass, their lips still meeting over and over until Clyde finally rolled to one side, scooping her into his arms and nestling her into the curve of his body.

They didn’t talk for a while, just laid together, Clyde tracing soft patterns onto her skin, and Rey enjoying the feeling of being so in love with someone that it felt like they shared a heart. Clyde placed a kiss to her shoulder, and Rey turned in his arms, her eyes finding his in the dark. “You’re incredible,” Rey said gently, reaching up to touch his face.

“And yer beautiful, and incredible, and ya never cease to amaze me with how fierce ya are,” Clyde murmured, plying her face with soft kisses.

“Oh Clyde, how are we gonna do this? How are we gonna be apart like this?” Rey searched his eyes, hoping to find an answer in them, but all she saw was love and hope.

Clyde ran a hand through her hair, letting out a small sigh before replying. “Momma always had a sayin’. ‘Nothin’ worth havin’ is gonna be easy. Ya gotta work for things.’ Same thing goes for us, darlin’. It ain’t gonna be easy, bein’ apart durin’ the week – but at least Sadiebug showed me some things on that phone of mine so we can talk more. But the weekends – they belong ta us, darlin’. We gotta make the best of ‘em until we figure it out. You’re worth it to me. We’re worth it.”

“I think so too.”

….

They fell asleep twined around each other, and when the sun rose, they hastily dressed and cleaned up before heading back to Clyde’s house and falling into bed together again. When they woke again, they spent time just relishing in the touch of the other, not needing words to sully the raw emotion they felt for each other.

As they got ready for his high school reunion, Clyde mused about how well they worked with each other. They orbited around each other, each knowing what the other was going to do without words. They would exchange looks, touches – everything was easy and simple with them. It was right. Now, Clyde had never been the type of man to believe in fate, or destiny, or even soulmates – that had always seemed like something that happened in those silly romantic comedies that Mellie and her friends had watched back in high school – but the way he felt about Rey had him questioning everything.

“Ya look beautiful, darlin’,” Clyde murmured as she stepped into the living room after putting the finishing touches on her light makeup. Her eyes travelled up and down Clyde for a moment, who had dressed in a button down shirt and slacks with the only suit jacket he owned over it. Rey loved the way he looked in it, and she walked over and placed a kiss on his lips lovingly.

“Let’s go, handsome. Time to show your girl off to everyone.”

Valley View High School was a typical small town high school, made of brick and glass. The gymnasium was much like every other one, as well – all polished and waxed wooden floor and bleachers pushed into the walls, with a basketball hoop on each end. There were tables set up around the gym, and music from their graduation year playing through large speakers, with a DJ standing behind a sound board, attempting to act cool. It was as cheesy and awkward as anyone thought a class reunion would be, and Rey stuck next to Clyde’s side all night, insisting he dance with her any time a slow song came on – because being in his arms was the only thing that mattered to her.

After excusing herself to the restroom, Rey was in a stall when she heard the door open and several women enter, all of them laughing. It was obvious they all knew each other, and Rey didn’t think much of it until she heard Clyde’s name.

“Man, that Clyde Logan grew into those ears, didn’t he? He is a tall, sexy drink of water now… I can’t believe his girlfriend lives in Pittsburgh. I betcha I could talk him inta goin’ out sometime. Man’s got needs, after all, and he must get lonely durin’ the week, right? Wonder if, ya know, missin’ an arm changed anythin’ in the bedroom…” The woman giggled, and Rey bristled.

“Well, Nancy, ain’t ya movin’ back to Boone next month since your divorce will be final and all?”

“Yep, which means I can park it at the Duck Tape every night durin’ the week and flirt n’ all.”

Rey decided she had heard enough, and tried her best to exit the stall as calmly as possible. Ignoring the shocked looks on the women's faces, she made her way to the sink to wash and dry her hands before moving towards the door. When she reached it and had her hand on the handle to open it, she turned back and looked at Nancy, a small smirk on her face.

“Nancy, is it? I remember you lot from the last time I was in town. I’m woman enough to take care of my man, even though I am five hours away. You can flirt all you want, but I know my Clyde well enough to know you’re not going to do anything more than annoy him. And it’s too bad you’re not moving for a month, since I’ll be moving in with him before then. Sorry about your luck. You ladies have a nice night.” Rey opened the door a hair before looking back at the women one more time, leveling Nancy with a gaze before saying, “And no, missing a limb changes nothing in the bedroom. He’s fantastic. Not that you’ll ever know.”

With a smug smile, Rey opened the door, making her way back to Clyde. He was talking with someone, his eyes moving to hers with a small twist upwards of his lips. She was always struck by the way he looked at her, like she was some kind of heavenly body. She reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently as he chatted with his old school mate, and she tried to ignore the looks Nancy and her friends shot at her from across the room.

As soon as they were able to dance again, Clyde smiled down at her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “What’s eatin’ at ya, Rey?”

Rey sighed, her forehead resting against his chest for a moment before she answered. “When I went into the loo, those women came in, they didn’t know I was in the stall, and they were talking. About you and how handsome you’ve become.” Rey looked up at Clyde, who was now blushing, the tip of one ear bright red as it peeked out from his hair. “It was Nancy and her friends… they were in the bar a couple weeks ago, remember?”

Clyde nodded. “I do. Ya came forward and claimed me as yours, I do believe.” He smiled at her as they danced.

“Well, she was remarking about how she is moving back to Boone, and how she was going to come in and flirt with you and ask you out, because with me five hours away, you had to be lonely during the week.” Rey huffed for a moment before continuing, “I let her know that I know you well enough to know that will  _ never  _ happen, and that you’re amazing in bed. I think she’ll leave you alone now.”

“Ya… what now? Ya told her I was good in bed?” 

The tip of his ear was glowing now, and Rey tried to keep a smirk off her face as she answered, “Yes, yes I did. Why don’t we go home and you can further assure me that I was speaking the truth?”

Clyde grinned at her. “My  _ pleasure _ , darlin’.”

….

They had stayed up late, making love over and over again, until they fell asleep; exhausted and sweaty, neither one of them looking forward to the next day, when Rey would have to go back to Pittsburgh. As they woke, kissing each other until they were both filled with want, they came together again, a slow, sweet coupling in which they whispered promises to each other of a life spent together.

They spent the early afternoon cuddled on the couch, watching television, and as Rey set to work packing her bag, Clyde grabbed her from behind, planting a kiss to her neck softly. “I’m fixin’ ta run ta Grocery Castle quick while yer packin’. I forgot a couple things I need for dinner. Ya gonna be okay? Should only take me twenty minutes or so.”

Rey grinned and turned in his arms, her lips meeting his. “Go. I love you.”

“Love ya too, darlin’. Yer my world.” Clyde smiled and headed out the door, and a moment later, she heard the sound of his truck making its way out to the road. As she set back to work packing, she let a few tears fall at the thought of leaving him again.

She never heard her phone ping from where it was sitting on the end table in the living room, the email notification reading:  **Re: Inquiry into Alex Samuels. Urgent Attention Needed!**

….

Five minutes later, Rey heard the sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway, and the front door opening. She called out, “That didn’t take twenty minutes, now did it? Miss me so much you had to rush back?”

The voice that answered her made her blood run icy cold through her veins.

“About time he left. I’ve been waiting to get you alone. Why don’t you step out here into the living room, Agent Sands? Keep your hands up where I can see them too. No surprises.” Rey turned to look into the icy, cruel eyes of Alex Samuels, her hands raised and her eyes drifting to the pistol he had leveled at her.

“Go on, living room,” Alex growled, backing into the living room as Rey followed, her brain whirring as she tried to go through her options. Once they were in the living room, Alex pointed to the carpet. “On your knees, Agent Sands. You couldn’t just leave after you didn’t find anything, could you? You had to go and get Clyde involved in all this.”

Rey dropped to her knees, all her senses working overtime so that she could react in an instant if an opportunity presented itself. “I was just doing my job, Alex. It was you, wasn’t it? You cut my brake lines, so that when I pressed them, they broke.”

“Yeah. Pissed me off that you didn’t slam a little harder into that tree, honestly. Makes it a little messier to finally get rid of you. I know Clyde’ll be hurt and all, but he’s better off without you, sweetheart. You don’t belong in his world.”

Rey bared her teeth at him in defiance. If she could just make him angry, distract him – then maybe she could sweep his feet out from under him and disarm him. “That’s where you are wrong, Alex. I do belong here. I don’t know why you had to bring all this here, to Boone County, but maybe you should just go back to wherever you came from. This is your chance to leave. Clyde will never know you were here, and I’m not here in an official capacity, so there’s no reason I have to report it.”

Alex barked out a laugh, his eyes still flashing. “No, I have my orders. My boss wants you gone forever, Rey. Sorry.”

“Can you answer a question for me, then? Before you kill me?”

“I suppose I could do that, since Clyde is a good friend and all,” Alex gave her a smile that never reached his eyes. “Go ahead with it.”

Rey shifted her weight slightly, hoping Alex wouldn’t notice. ”Why did you kill Fellini?”

Alex let out another sharp bark of laughter, circling around her like a predator does his prey before swooping in for a kill. “I didn’t. I was nowhere near Boone County that night. Word is, he pissed off the boss. See, the boss wants to start a business venture here in Boone County, so he sent Fellini here under that pretense. Poor bastard never realized he was coming here to get whacked.” He came to a stop in front of Rey, glancing down at her. “Time’s a wastin’, as they say… best get on with this…”

“Wait! So… why did you get sent here then? If it wasn’t to take out Fellini?” Rey was trying to buy precious time, hoping that the distraction of Clyde coming home would allow her to act.

“Oh, that. Yeah. You know the kind of people that live here, Rey. Coal Miners, bootleggers, moonshiners – simple people. What better place to set up a new business venture? Since I have a connection here, I came to talk to my old Army buddy.” Alex let out a chuckle. “I’m getting a promotion for this, I can feel it. The boss is going to be happy.”

“But why Clyde? He’s a good man. You know he’d never go for that, Alex.” Rey looked at him, watching him carefully for any openings where she could act.

“How well do you know Clyde, Rey? I mean, really, besides sleeping with him, how much do you know of his past? Have you read the report good ole Agent Grayson did on the whole Hillbilly Heist? How do you think he bought this house or his bar? Kinda curious, isn’t it?” Alex gave her a wide smile, and Rey felt her blood run cold.

_ No. There is no way Clyde was involved in that. He was in jail, he wasn’t even here when that went down, _ Rey thought to herself as she watched Alex, who shifted his weight onto his heels.

“But enough of this, really. Let’s make this quick, shall we, and hopefully painless? I really am sorry, Rey, that it had to come to this.”

The door flew open, causing them both to jump slightly as Clyde’s hulking figure entered the room, the bags in his hand dropping to the floor with a  _ splat _ of eggs and fruit. “What tha hell are ya doin’, Alex? Now, you n’ me, we ain’t never had a hard word between us…” Clyde crossed the room before Alex put a hand up to stop him, the other hand leveling the gun at Rey’s head.

He was sweating now, and his voice was wavering as he said, “Well, this certainly changes things, doesn’t it? You just had to come home before I finished this, didn’t you? Now…now I have to kill a friend too. It’s all your fault, Agent Sands, I just want you to know that.”

Clyde stood stock still, his chest heaving and his eyes panicked as he looked at Rey, mouthing an ‘I love you’ to her. She did her best to give him a smile before mouthing back ‘I love you too’ and then the air shifted in the room as there were several quick movements, the sound of the guns report ringing out in the room. There was a thunk as the bullet met flesh, muscle and bone before lodging in the wall behind the television, followed by the thud of a body hitting the carpet, the rapidly spreading pool of blood causing a thick copper stench to rise in the air. A scuffle broke out, bodies moving in rapid succession, ending with a sharp crack of something metallic on bone, and then there was silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun Dun Dun!
> 
> Who done got themselves a lead sandwich for lunch? Let me know in comments!!!
> 
> Also: Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
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	12. How Do I Live?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who dun got shot in the last chapter? We find out here! Also, an important confession is made... which makes Rey wonder about _everything_ she thought she knew about Clyde Logan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember way back when I asked on twitter "left or right?" This chapter answers the question of "WTF was Heathyr asking that for?" 
> 
> We're getting near the end, folks!!! 
> 
> Thanks to my moodboard artist and Supreme Beta: [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)!
> 
> Also, many thanks to my main cheerleader and secret keeper, and the person who helps me make this fic awesome with her ideas: [commandercrouton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton)

[ ](https://imgur.com/KSXIUby)

 

Sirens wailed in the distance, and the world spun wildly out of control as Rey knelt next to Clyde’s unconscious body, her hand stained red with his blood as she pressed it to the wound in his upper chest. Tears fell unabashedly down her cheeks as she wept, trying to keep herself as calm as she could.

If Clyde died, she would spend the rest of her life finding a way to keep Alex Samuels rotting away in prison.

“Please… fight, Clyde. Keep breathing. Find a way to live. For me, please. This can’t be it for us. Our story can’t end here.”

Sobs wracked her frame as red and blue lights flashed in the windows, meaning that help was almost here. Everything had happened so quickly after Clyde had arrived home to find Rey being held at gunpoint by Alex. Rey knew she would always be able to picture what had happened in slow motion in her brain. It would always be there, a stain in her memories.

Leaning down, Rey pressed her lips to Clyde’s forehead, pleading desperately for him to survive as the events from earlier played through her mind once more.

_ Clyde moved quickly for a big man, Rey thought to herself as he started to move towards Alex, giving Rey the opening she needed to make her move. Standing with some difficulty, Rey leapt the short distance towards Alex as the gun went off, the bullet striking Clyde in the left side of his upper chest as her body collided with Alex’s, sending the man to the floor. Rey was brutal in her assault as she landed on top of him, punching him several times in the face in quick succession. As Alex brought the gun up once more, Rey managed to disarm him with a quick headbutt to his nose, followed by the crunch of metal as the butt of his own gun met his forehead. _

_ The silence only lasted several heartbeats before Rey was crawling across the floor as a low groan left Clyde’s lips, her eyes travelling over his body to assess the damage before she pulled herself to her feet, making her way to her vehicle and obtaining a pair of handcuffs. After going back inside and cuffing Alex, ensuring that even if he woke he couldn’t harm either of them again, Rey secured his weapon before dialing 9-1-1 and returning to Clyde’s now unconscious form, pressing her hand to his chest to staunch the flow of blood. _

As a lone sheriff deputy entered the house, along with several EMT’s, Rey was still weeping, refusing to leave Clyde’s side even after being asked to. Finally, one of the men pulled her away and sat her on the couch, imploring her to stay put so they could work on her love unimpeded.

Rey knew she should be keeping a clear head so she could remember every detail for the report she would have to type up, but the sight of the man she loved, lying unconscious in a pool of blood on his living room floor, had her shaken beyond anything else she had ever experienced.

She felt numb inside, like she was watching everything from someone else’s skin. She was terrified, frozen in place, and all she could do was watch as the medics worked to keep her man alive. Rey couldn’t fathom a world in which Clyde wasn’t alive and waiting for her in this very house.

As the medics lifted him onto a stretcher, Rey stood and approached the small cot – made all the smaller looking with Clyde’s large frame on it – and after watching him for a moment, Rey leaned in, planting a small kiss to his cool lips. “Please stay alive for me… I love you.”

The Sheriff Deputy, who had been standing watching them work on Clyde, approached her now, plying her with questions until she pulled her ID and badge out of her bag, showing her credentials to him and letting him verify them. Pointing to Alex, Rey simply said, “This man needs to be taken into custody until myself or my superiors can question him. I would suggest you keep him under twenty-four hour watch so nothing happens to him, as well as keeping him separated from the general population of the jail. He’s got mafia ties, and he needs to be kept safe. Understood?”

The deputy nodded before getting all the information he needed, as well as taking a statement from her, which only drew a huff from Rey. “I’m sorry, Deputy, but I am FBI, and we have jurisdiction over this case. I need you to simply secure the suspect until we can speak with him. At this point, it looks like he will need some medical attention first.”

Pulling out her cellphone and trying to ignore the lump in her throat as her eyes glued to the red stain on her hand from Clyde’s blood, Rey set to work making the calls she needed to get done before settling into the routine of documenting evidence in an investigation. The Deputy did the same, and when the next batch of medics arrived to tend to Alex, the blonde menace was just coming to on the floor.

His eyes moved to Rey and narrowed, and Rey bared her teeth at him before pulling herself up from the couch, wincing as she used her casted arm to accomplish the task, the bone grating against itself causing a hiss of pain to accompany the gesture. Kneeling down next to him, Rey whispered, “I’m going to see to it personally that you spend the rest of your life rotting in a jail cell. If Clyde dies, you will wish for death yourself, because I will find a way to take your misery and compound it a thousand fold.”

Standing as the medics entered the room, and Rey watched as they tended to Alex, inwardly thrilled that she had watched his cold eyes fill with fear at the thought of going to prison for a very long time.

….

Three hours later found Rey practically sprinting into the emergency room waiting area, after she had finished everything she could for her part of the investigation. Holdo was on her way with a few others, and had told her under no uncertain terms was she to wait for them there.

Rey still didn’t know if Clyde was alive or dead when the glass doors slid open to admit her, her eyes automatically going to Mellie and Jimmy, who were both sitting in the cold, uncomfortable plastic chairs. They had both been crying, Rey could see, which had fear spiking through her chest at the sight.

_ I would know if he was dead – wouldn’t I? Wouldn’t I feel something? We’re so in tune with each other… _

“Rey!” Mellie jumped up, flying across the room to embrace her, tears soaking her neck as Mellie cried into her shoulder. 

Rey’s eyes met Jimmy’s over Mellie’s head, and Jimmy ran a hand through his hair before muttering, “They got him in surgery, tryin’ to repair the damage the bullet done.”

A chill ran through her, and Rey felt her own tears prick behind her eyelids. “Is he going to live?” Rey whispered, clutching Mellie’s shaking form to her.

Jimmy sat forward, his elbows going to his knees as he scrubbed his face with the palms of his hands. “Dunno. Ain’t heard nothin’ else from the doctors. Just playin’ the waitin’ game now.”

Mellie finally pulled away from Rey, hiccupping and wiping her face with Kleenex, leaving behind a dark smear of eyeliner and mascara on both Rey’s shirt and her own face. “A-at least he shot ‘em in his bad arm, I guess, if there’s any kinda silver linin’ to it. Rey… we told ‘em ya was his fiancé and all, so ya would be able to get info ‘n all. We didn’t wanna have ta sneak ya in or anythin’, although I’m bettin’ flashin’ yer badge at ‘em ‘n all would getcha in there.”

Rey just nodded, her hand reaching up to grasp the ring that hung around her neck. Sliding her finger inside it, Rey closed her eyes, fighting back her tears.  _ He can’t die. This can’t end like this. We have a future together, dammit. _

The three of them sat together, Jimmy not able to stay still as he went between pacing the waiting area or jiggling his feet constantly when he was sitting. Mellie just stared blankly at the television as she clutched her phone and a box of tissues in her hands, and Rey… Rey was numb, staring off at the walls as she tried desperately to keep from breaking down.

_ He can’t die. He can’t. I need him. I’ll do anything. I’ll give it all up. I’ll move down here, take a job as a security guard – whatever it takes. I know I don’t really pay much attention to you, God – if you exist – but if you do, could you please let him live? I don’t want to go through this life without him. _

Rey brought Clyde’s lucky ring to her lips, kissing it softly and imagining she was kissing him, pushing healing energy and love into his fractured body as it lay on an operating table in a cold, sterile room right now.

Rey didn’t know how much later it was when Jimmy pushed a Styrofoam cup of coffee into her hands, and as a hospital registrar guided them to the waiting room for families of those patients in surgery, Rey could only hope it was a good sign.

_ He must still be alive, right? Otherwise they’d come tell us. _

Jimmy resumed his pacing, and Mellie had gone from crying to flipping through year-old issues of  _ Good Housekeeping  _ and  _ Southern Living _ . Rey was still numb, clutching Clyde’s ring in her hand and staring off, every good memory they had made together running through her brain. She had already created more memories with Clyde Logan and his family than she had with anyone else in her life. These people – Jimmy, Mellie, Sylvia and Sadie – they were her family now, and Clyde… well, she knew well enough that someday she would be his wife.

If he survived.

A tired-looking doctor walked through the door later that night, and Rey glanced up at the clock. It was approaching midnight, and as the doctor looked at them, Rey hoped he only had hopeful news to give them.

“Are you all the family of Mr. Logan?” The doctor asked, untying the blue surgical cap and removing it as he let out a long sigh. 

Jimmy nodded at him, speaking for the trio. “Yeah, I’m his brother Jimmy, this is his sister Mellie and his fiancé, Rey. H-how’s he doin’, doc?”

“He lost a lot of blood, but he’s going to make it. If the bullet had entered his body a fraction of an inch lower, Mr. Logan wouldn’t have survived. As it is, he had extensive damage to his shoulder and upper left arm. We did our best to repair the damage and piece the bones back together – but it’s quite possible he won’t be able to use what was left of his arm any longer. Only time will tell. He’s in recovery, they will come get you as soon as you can visit him.” The doctor’s eyes travelled to Rey now, and he gave her a small smile. “He was asking for you in the few moments he was conscious in the emergency room, they told me. He must love you very much.”

“Thanks, doc,” Jimmy replied, resuming his pacing once more as Rey finally remembered to pull out her phone. She had thirty missed calls from Holdo – and over seventy texts.

> _ <Holdo> I understand you are probably with your boyfriend. Please give us a report of how he is doing as soon as you know. We are here in Boone County, and are going to interview the suspect. We have the report you emailed us, along with your portion of the investigation and the statement from the Sheriff Deputy on scene. I am placing you on administrative leave for the next 2 weeks, Agent Sands. Nothing personal, just procedure. _

Rey breathed a sigh of relief, typing a quick reply back to Holdo – just one word.  _ Understood. _

Rey was good at waiting, luckily. Jimmy and Mellie were not as good, complaining loudly or muttering to themselves as Rey sat quietly, focusing on the ceiling tiles as she tried to control her breathing.  _ Breathe in through your nose, put your sight on the target, slide your finger into shooting position. Exhale and take your shot as you do.  _ If anyone else could hear her internal dialogue, they would probably think her crazy, but hearing the voice of her firearms instructor from Quantico in her mind, going through the familiar routine she had been trained in, helped keep her calm.

The clock had swung past two in the morning when the door finally opened again, a nurse dressed in lime green scrubs smiling at them as she approached. “Are you Mr. Logan’s family?” Jimmy was already standing, still pacing, and as Mellie and Rey both stood he nodded at the nurse.

“That’s us.”

The nurse led them out into the hallway and through a set of fire doors marked ‘Intensive Care Unit’. Looking at the three of them, she pointed towards yet another waiting area, this one sporting several couches and a comfortable looking chair – along with a coffee pot and a television. “Only one person can go in at a time – unit rules. Which of you is going in first?”

“I’ll go,” Jimmy said after a moment. “That way if… if it’s bad I can tell y’all.”

Rey’s heart clenched at the thought that Clyde might never be able to use what was left of his arm again – but they’d work through it. She’d help him in whatever way he needed her to. He’d taken that bullet for her, after all, it was the least she could do to repay him.

Besides, she loved every single piece of him, and him being injured wouldn’t change a thing about the way she felt. After a half hour, Jimmy returned, sighing and swiping a hand over his face as he looked at Rey and Mellie.

“He’s outta it. They said he could be for a while. They hadta give him lotsa blood, and painkillers, of course. One of y’all can go on in next.”

Rey looked at Mellie, lifting her chin towards the door. “Go, Mellie. You’re his sister, I’m his girlfriend. You get first priority.” Mellie snorted as she walked towards the door.

“Ya should tell him that when he’s awake. All that man ever thinks about is you, Rey.”

Mellie walked out the door, leaving Rey staring at the television as Jimmy paced some more.

“How’d this all go down, Rey? Why’d he get himself shot?” Jimmy had stopped pacing, standing over Rey and looking at her.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss any details with anyone, Jimmy. I’m sorry.” Rey met his gaze steadily, until finally Jimmy looked away, pacing the room once more.

“Yeah, yeah. I know it’s gotta do with that mess at the bar a while back. Hasta be. Clyde ain’t got no one that doesn’t like him.”

“Jimmy?”

Jimmy looked at her, and Rey sighed. “He was defending me. That’s all I can tell you. He… he’s lying in that hospital bed because of me,” Rey said quietly, tears slipping onto her cheeks.

“Rey, there ain’t nothin’ that man wouldn’t do for ya. That don’t surprise me none. Bravest man I know, my brother. He walks into danger, don’t think twice about it, where most men’d walk away. He loves ya.”

“And I love him, Jimmy.” Rey sighed and sat back on the couch more, waiting for her turn to see her love. She just wanted the chance to kiss his forehead and hold his hand. He needed to know she was there, and that she was strong enough for both of them. It was the longest fifteen minutes of her life, but finally Mellie reappeared, giving them both a tiny smile.

“He’s all yers, Rey. For fifteen minutes, anyways – and those nurses ain’t jokin’ when they tell ya fifteen minutes is all ya get.”

Rey stood and headed into the unit, one of the nurses leading her to a room encased in glass for easier patient monitoring from the nurse’s station. “Fifteen minutes. He’s still out.”

Rey nodded, moving to the side of the bed and surveying Clyde for a moment before reaching out and twining her fingers through his. “Oh, Clyde,” Rey whispered, letting her tears flow finally at the sight of the man she loved, pale and broken in a hospital bed with tubes in his body. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. You… you’re here because of me. If I had never come down here… no. I can’t say that, can I? We were meant to meet, weren’t we? You keep telling me that. You never lost faith in us, so I shouldn’t question it either, should I?”

Rey sniffled before sitting in the chair next to the bed, leaning down to kiss his hand. “You’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.” Rey laid her head down on the bed against his good shoulder and arm, tracing the pattern of his tattoo as she listened to him breathing. The simple sound of his breath leaving his body was comforting to her – because it meant he was alive – and as long as he was alive, she’d be alright too.

All too soon the nurse was summoning her away, and Rey leaned down, her lips meeting Clyde’s as she murmured an “I love you” against his cool lips. As she followed the nurse out of the room, she took one look back over her shoulder, just to make sure she could see him one last time before it was back to waiting.

Rey was good at waiting, and as Jimmy and Mellie decided who was going to stay at the hospital, Rey sent them both off without little thought. They both had lives, after all, and it just made sense for Rey to stay and wait for Clyde to wake up.

Besides – neither of them would have been able to convince her to leave.

Rey settled in for the night with a thick hospital blanket and an uncomfortable plastic pillow, stretching out across the hard couch as she tried to rest. She didn’t know when, but she finally managed to sleep, clutching Clyde’s ring in her hand the whole time. She woke to a nurse shaking her gently, and smiling at her kindly when her eyes flew open and she sat up quickly.

“Clyde! Is… Is he okay?” She was positive her eyes were panicked, judging from the way the nurse patted her arm consolingly.

“He’s just fine. Are you Rey? He’s asking for you, that’s why I came to get you. Now, he’s pretty out of it from the pain medication, but he’s awake, at least.”

“Okay… I’m ready.” Rey did her best to fix her hair, yawning once more as the nurse grinned at her.

“That man sure does love you. You were the first thing he talked about when he woke up.” The nurse opened the door to the unit, stepping to one side so Rey could go to Clyde’s room. “Fifteen minutes, Rey. I can maybe let it slide to twenty if he’s feeling okay.” She winked at Rey before heading back to the nurses’ station in the middle of the room.

As Rey stepped into the room, Clyde’s eyes immediately met hers, and a huge smile came to his lips. “Ya look like the sun shinin’ through the clouds after a thunderstorm. Have I ever told ya how beautiful ya are? I’m gonna marry you someday. Rey Logan. Sounds good, don’t it? Ya been cryin’. Don’t cry. I’m okay, darlin’. Only hurts when I… am awake.”

Rey couldn’t help it, she giggled as she moved closer to Clyde. “Hi… you scared me. You scared all of us. And yes, I was crying. I thought I might lose you, and it terrified me.” She sat carefully in the chair beside the bed, reaching for his hand. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got shot in the chest…” Clyde tried to laugh, wincing when he did it. “I’m alright, darlin’. C’mere, kiss me. I feel like I ain’t been able to kiss ya for a million years.” Clyde waited for her to stand, and as her lips met his, she wanted to sob and sigh all at once.

They both looked up as a nurse entered the room, and the woman waved them off, smiling. “I just need to scan your wristband and give you some more pain meds, Mr. Logan.”

“Do whatcha gotta do, ma’am. If ya don’t mind me kissin’ my girl here.”

The nurse just chuckled and went about her business assessing his vital signs and pain level before administering medicine through his IV. Clyde’s eyes never left Rey as he reached up and touched her face gently. “I love ya, darlin’. I’m sorry I made ya cry and scared ya.”

“You couldn’t help it, Clyde. You didn’t ask for a psychopath to shoot you. You jumped in front of a bullet. For  _ me _ .” Rey was overwhelmed with emotion suddenly, burying her face carefully in Clyde’s chest for a few sweet moments as she let the tears flow. He just ran his fingers through her hair, his movements growing slower as the pain meds travelled through his body, making him sleepy.

“I’d do it again too, darlin’. I’d do anythin’ for ya, I’d rob a bank or…” Clyde let out something that sounded dangerously like a giggle, and Rey picked her head up off his chest, looking at him as he grinned at her. “Aw hell, guess I ain’t got to rob nothing again, we’ll be set after that last heist ‘n all. It ended the Logan curse ‘n all, smooth sailin’ ‘n clear skies from then on. God, yer so beautiful, Rey. Imma marry ya someday, ya know that?”

Rey felt her blood running cold at Alex’s words as he prepared to end her life came back to her.

_ “How well do you know Clyde, Rey? I mean, really, besides sleeping with him, how much do you know of his past? Have you read the report good ole Agent Grayson did on the whole Hillbilly Heist? How do you think he bought this house or his bar? Kinda curious, isn’t it?” _

“You… you did it, didn’t you? The Hillbilly Heist?” Rey whispered, her eyes going to Clyde for an answer.

Her whisper was met with a light snore, as the pain meds had worked their magic, sending Clyde into a pain free slumber so his body could heal easier.

Numb, Rey stood, leaning down to place a kiss on Clyde’s forehead as she walked back into the waiting area. Her mind was racing as she tried to process everything, as she tried to discern just how she could be with someone who had apparently stolen millions of dollars and gotten away with it.

She knew he had a past. He’d done six months in juvie when he was thirteen for some scheme Jimmy had cooked up. He’d gotten so many speeding tickets that they suspended his driver’s license. He’d spent three months in jail for the property damage he’d done when he ran his car into a convenience store. He’d been in jail when the heist went down – she knew that for a fact.

Something told her there was more to it, though, and that Clyde’s words had been true.

Rey sat numbly staring at the television on the wall of the waiting room, and she didn’t even notice Jimmy and Mellie arriving until Mellie thrust a cup of coffee into her hand. “How’s he doin’ this mornin’, Rey? Are ya okay? Ya look a little flummoxed.”

“Clyde told me about the heist. I’m just trying to put it all together in my brain. How did you pull it off?” Rey looked up, knowing her worst fears were coming true as brother and sister shared a long look between them.

Jimmy ran a hand through his hair before muttering, “We didn’t do nothin’, Rey. We got cleared a that whole mess. Clyde’s clearly heavily medicated.”

“How did you pull it off, Jimmy? Was this another one of your schemes you brought him in on?” Rey watched as Jimmy sank into a chair, Mellie looking between them both before following suit. “Alright… it went down like this…”

Rey listened to everything Jimmy said, looking between him and Mellie in shock. These were the people who had welcomed her with open arms – making her feel like she belonged, like they were her family. Everything had changed now, though. They weren’t the people she had thought they were.

Finally, Rey nodded once and stood, looking at both Jimmy and Mellie. “I’ll be in touch. I am going to Madison and then to Pittsburgh to finish this case up. I’ll lock the house up when I leave, Mellie.”

Jimmy looked at Rey, his jaw dropping open, and he took a step forward before speaking. “Rey… are ya… are ya endin’ things with my brother? It’s gonna devastate him… that man needs ya. Yer like his world. He ain’t gonna give a damn about tryin’ to heal if ya ain’t in his life.”

“I need time, Jimmy. I need to decide what I’m going to do with this information I have. My training is telling me to open the investigation back up and solve the case – but my heart is telling me differently. I suggest you all give me the time I need.”

Jimmy backed away, throwing his hands in the air, and Rey turned, leaving them – and Clyde – behind in the sterile hospital. She got as far as the small lobby leading outside before she heard Mellie calling her name from behind her, and she turned as the pretty brunette ran up to her.

“Lemme… lemme walk ya to yer car? I… I just wanna ask ya somethin’, if I could?”

Rey nodded, striding to her car, and Mellie didn’t say anything until Rey had her door open and her purse stashed inside. She looked at Mellie, who took a deep breath.

“I ain’t gonna try ‘n change yer mind, cuz I know ya got a tough decision ta make ‘n all, Rey, but I love ya like a sister, ya know that. I want you ‘n Clyde ta work out, because that man loves ya somethin’ fierce, ‘n I know ya love him the same.”

“I do, Mellie. Which is why I need time.” Rey sighed before continuing, “Everything I thought was true about you all has just been flipped around with a few words. Now I have to decide whether Agent Sands or Rey gets to decide the fate of people who I consider family.”

“I get that, I do. But, Rey… Bobbie Jo… she was fixin’ ta take Sadie and move to Lynchburg. Jimmy needed ta get a lawyer. Clyde was just workin’ his fingers ta the bone at the Duck Tape. Now… now he owns it, and a nice house. Jimmy gets ta have Sadie near and he got Sylvie now. I got a nice little place… plus we took care of people who done helped us. Clyde donated to the library ta keep their doors open when their fundin’ got cut… we done good things with that money, and we’re set for life. We gave the rest back. Just… remember that, okay? The Raceway got a good payout too, from their insurance company. They didn’t lose a thing, and no one got hurt.”

Rey nodded before sliding into the driver’s seat of her car. “Hey, Mel?” She asked as the other woman turned to walk back inside.

Mellie turned back to Rey, their eyes meeting as Rey swallowed thickly, tears threatening to escape her eyes. “Could… could you maybe text me every day with an update on how he is doing?”

Mellie’s eyes were sad as she nodded. “I can do that for ya, Rey. Just… if ya decide that Agent Sands wins… could ya maybe give us a heads up? We’ll have ta make arrangements, ya see. For Jimmy’s family and for the Duck Tape ‘n all. I know I shouldn’t ask it of ya, but I’m hopin’ ya might.”

Rey just nodded before closing her car door and backing out of the parking spot, tears blinding her eyes as she drove to Clyde’s house to gather her things. Her mind was a whirl as she pulled into the driveway of the house she had come to think of as hers, as well, and as she stepped onto the porch she had to harden herself for the scene she knew she would find inside.

Clyde’s blood all over the living room carpet and a bullet hole in the wall, reminding her that she almost lost him.

Rey sighed and stepped inside, trying not to let her eyes fixate on the red stain on the tan carpet as she made her way to the bedroom, emotions causing tears to spill down her face. She threw her things into a bag, settling onto the bed and looking around before taking a piece of paper and pen out. She couldn’t just leave Clyde without an explanation. Tears fell down her face as she began to write.

_ Dear Clyde, _

_ I love you. I do. Please don’t doubt that. But you’re not the man I thought you were. Your confession to me, and Jimmy’s confirmation of what happened, it changed things inside me. I am at war with myself. Agent Sands knows what she should do, but Rey… the woman desperately in love with you… she doesn’t want to lose you. Ever. _

_ I need time to work through all this. I hope you can give me the space I need. Even… even if the Agent Sands side of me decides to do what she must… I’ll always love you. That won’t change. _

_ -Rey _

__

Rey left the note on the kitchen counter near the coffee pot, and before she turned to leave, she pulled the chain around her neck over her head, eyeing the heavy horseshoe ring on it for a moment before kissing it tenderly and laying it next to the note.

As she locked the door behind her, she hardened her heart and told herself that it would all work out in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	13. The Best Part Of Me Is You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey finally makes her decision - can she deal with the consequences?
> 
> The answer is: YES.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 more chapters left, friends! I promise smut and fluff and happiness from here on out!
> 
> Thanks to my wonderful beta/moodboard creator: [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)

[ ](https://imgur.com/Ol4TcFV)

 

_ 57 days. It’s been 57 days since I heard her voice. _

Clyde sighed and swiped a hand through his hair as he sat at his desk at the Duck Tape, trying to input data into the tablet he had gotten to track inventory and sales. His shoulder still throbbed every day, and he could hardly move it – but he was alive. He was alive, and so was Rey. That’s all that mattered. Alex was in jail and would be for a very long time, and word had it that he had spilled his guts to the FBI about the whole operation he was working for.

Clyde was doing his best not to think about Rey – but it was hard. She was everywhere for him – in his home, his bed, even here at his bar he could feel her presence. He missed her, and some days it was so hard to even breathe, to fake being okay when inside he was falling apart.

He just couldn’t conceive a life without Rey in it. He knew if things went south – if the Logan curse reared its ugly head again, he’d be going back to jail for a while. He hoped it didn’t come to that. He hoped Rey would see that what they did didn’t harm anyone – and simply served to set them up for the rest of their lives. They hadn’t been greedy.

It made his recovery harder, for sure. When he had woken up the day she left him, and Jimmy and Mellie had told him Rey was gone, Clyde had lost it. He spent the next week in a fog, not caring about anything, in quiet agony for the presence he was missing in his life.

This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. This wasn’t the way their story was supposed to end. Clyde had dreamed about marrying her and starting a family someday – not him going to jail and never seeing her again. Her letter to him – while painful – gave him hope.

Even if he did go to jail, he would do it loving her until the day he died.

“Uncle Clyde!” Sadie’s voice rang out across the bar, and Clyde couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips at the sound. His niece was nothing short of a ball of energy, and Clyde needed the distraction she would give him.

“Hey there, Sadiebug! Whatcha up to tonight?” Clyde tried to keep the smile on his face, not wanting Sadie to know how distraught he was inside.

“Well, Aunt Mellie said yer feelin’ kinda sad because Rey ain’t around right now, and ya know our birthdays are comin’ up… so I thought we could talk about our birthday party!” Sadie grinned as she settled herself in his lap, her small arms curling around his neck as she hugged him.

Sadie’s birthday was the day before his, and both fell right before Halloween, so he simply smiled at his niece and let her talk, even if he didn’t feel like celebrating anything – he would never disappoint his Sadiebug.

“I got the  _ perfect _ ideas for our costumes, Uncle Clyde!”

….

_ It’s been 57 days. I miss him. I miss him so much… and he had to go through this without me – will he ever forgive me? I don’t blame him if he doesn’t… _

Rey had been busy enough the past eight weeks that she had tried not to let herself think about Clyde, or Boone County – or anything, really, but bringing down the mafia family that Alex Samuels had worked for. Jimmy Fellini’s murder had been a hit, and while Alex hadn’t been anywhere near Boone County that night – he knew who had, and he was more than willing to provide the information needed – as long as he got a plea deal.

It was already over Rey’s head – all she could do was provide the reports detailing everything. Still, as she crawled into bed every night, physically and mentally exhausted, she let a few tears spill, knowing that she had to come to a decision about the Hillbilly Heist case and whether she was reopening it or not.

Could she put away the man she loved, and the only people she had ever considered family? Could she take Jimmy away from Sadie? How could she ever be with Clyde, knowing that he wasn’t the man she thought he was?

How could she ever make herself stop loving him? Would she ever, if she did her job and made the arrests? Would she ever be able to sleep at night without her last thought being of him? Sighing as she fluffed her pillow under her head, Rey closed her eyes and tried  _ not _ to think about Clyde.

The man had her heart, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. He was the first thing she thought about every morning, and the last thing on her mind at night. Her fingers ached to pick up her phone to text him, and it took all her resolve not to get in her car and drive to Boone County to go to him. She had worried about him, cried about him… and cherished every single update Mellie sent – especially the ones where she would sneak a picture or record his voice.

Rey could hear it in his voice, though, and see it on his face in the brief glimpses Mellie sent her. Clyde was heartbroken – probably just as much as she was. Why was it so hard for her, then? Why couldn’t she just let the past die? It was obvious that the Logan’s weren’t living the lives of people with money, they had simply set themselves up so they didn’t have to worry or struggle anymore and Jimmy had kept Sadie in Boone County and close to him. Clyde had bought the bar so he never had to worry about an income, and had bought a nice little house that was perfect for him and any small family he might have someday.

They didn’t have fast, expensive cars or go to fancy parties. No, the Logans had made sure they were taken care of, and gave most of the money back. Now that Rey knew the whole story – she had to admit – it was the perfect heist they had pulled off.

After a few hours of tossing and turning, Rey finally drifted off to sleep, a pair of warm, sad chocolate eyes the last thing in her mind as sleep finally came.

….

As Rey rifled through her drawer the next morning after a shower, her brow wrinkled in confusion for a moment when her hand met paper, and as she pulled the folded sheet of notebook paper out of the drawer, her breath caught in her throat as she opened it and read the note from Clyde.

_ Darlin’, _

_ I ain’t no true romantic or nothing, you know that. But I saw this in one of those poetry books at the library the last time you and I went, and it resonated with me. So, here goes: _

_ “Love Is A Place” by e.e.cummings _

_ love is a place _

_ & through this place of _

_ love move _

_ (with brightness of peace) _

_ all places _

_ yes is a world _

_ & in this world of _

_ yes live _

_ (skilfully curled) _

_ all worlds _

_ I know my place is always with you, and I hope you’ll say yes in the future to me… because I guess I ain’t really got any kinda future without you. _

_ Love you always, _

_ Clyde _

Tears came immediately to her eyes, and Rey clutched the paper to her chest as she sat on the edge of her bed, letting tears finally overtake her. She didn’t know how she had missed the precious slip of paper when she was unpacking after she got home – but perhaps this was some trick of fate, hiding itself until she needed it most.

Rey wept until her eyes were dry and her throat was swollen and raw – but she knew what she had to do.

….

Clyde looked  _ ridiculous _ . Utterly, completely  _ ridiculous _ .

He wasn’t even sure why he had allowed a twelve-year-old to talk him into dressing up like this. Everyone was going to laugh – hell, even Mellie and Sadie were already giggling as they fussed over his hair and costume.

Apparently, Sadie had gotten into 1990’s alternative music, and she had talked him into wearing matching costumes – they were both dressed in a ridiculous yellow and black costume that the young girl was wearing in the video for the song  _ No Rain _ . Now, Clyde had never been into alternative music, for sure, his preferences were definitely for classic and southern rock and country – but he would do almost anything for his Sadiebug.

So, he found himself wearing a pair of tight fitting black pants that hugged every inch of his legs, with a yellow and black tutu over it. The yellow top, trimmed in black, tied around his neck, and his arms were wrapped in yellow and black striped cloth. He had refused to let the girls find him tap shoes in his size, and so he was wearing a pair of black dress shoes, and Mellie had tied some yellow ribbons around each ankle. A black and yellow striped cap covered his hair, two braids flipped over his shoulder and a set of yellow pipe cleaners formed into antennae shaped into a heart jutting proudly off his head. A set of thick, black-rimmed glasses completed the look.

As he stood in front of the mirror to survey the girl’s handiwork, he shook his head, heaving out a sigh as his eyes drifted to the ugly scar that was prominent on his left shoulder now. His shoulder still ached every day, sometimes so painfully he had to use the pain medicine the doctors had given him. Most days, he gritted through the pain and did what needed to be done. He still went to physical therapy several times a week, trying to build up strength in his arm and shoulder. While he might not ever regain all the movement in his arm he had before getting shot – he was still alive. It could have been a lot worse. Clyde would do it all over again if it meant Rey was safe.

Mellie stepped into the room, making eye contact with him in the mirror. His sister always knew what was on his mind, and she moved to stand next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “She’ll come back home, Clyde. That gal loves ya somethin’ fierce. She’ll make the right decision. Trust me. Now… we got a party ta throw! C’mon, Bee Guy!”

With a shake of his head, Clyde followed his sister – who was dressed as Maleficent – out into the din of a Duck Tape birthday party.

….

Rey still imagined she heard Mellie’s scream of happiness all the way in Pittsburgh when she had texted her the night before, letting her know she was coming back to Boone County – and that the Logan’s had nothing to worry about. She knew it was Clyde’s birthday the next day, and Sadie’s the day after that, and Mellie had told her about the costume birthday party they were having at the Duck Tape to celebrate.

Rey was going to give her man the best birthday present ever – her.

The five hour drive took her four hours and fifteen minutes, and as the familiar roads of Boone County came into view, Rey let the feelings wash over her in waves.

_ Home. Family. Belonging. Rightness. _

She let a smile come to her face when the red and green neon of the Duck Tape came into view, and after parking, she slid the mask over her face. Somehow, she knew Clyde would know she was there, even with the costume. They had watched  _ Point Break _ the night before Alex had shot Clyde, and after Clyde – and Jimmy and Mellie’s – confessions had happened, Rey found the costume fitting.

It was a heist movie, after all. Surely, Clyde would see the irony of her wearing the same getup that Patrick Swayze’s character had worn when they robbed banks in the film.

Pulling out her phone, she sent Mellie a simple text.

> _ <To: Mellie> Incoming President. _

As Rey stepped onto the wooden porch of the bar, her eyes were immediately drawn to Earl, who sat in his chair by the door, a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other.

“Evenin’, President Reagan. Can’t say we’re used ta havin’ dead President’s around these parts, but have a good time.”

Rey simply nodded before stepping inside. Mellie had refused to tell her what Clyde’s costume would be, but she assured Rey that she could easily pick him out – and she hadn’t lied.

Her man was dressed up as the world’s most adorable and awkward… bumblebee. Rey giggled as Mellie approached her, Rey’s eyes never leaving Clyde, even as her friend looped an arm through hers. “Sadie’s really into 90’s alternative music right now, ya see. She found some video on YouTube that had bee girl in it… and the rest is kinda history now. I swear, Clyde’d do anythin’ for that girl… and for ya, Rey. Welcome home.” Mellie smiled at Rey, murmuring, “Go get yer man, Rey. I had Sadie in on this too, ya see, and she’s tryin’ to keep him occupied until ya get near him. I think he’s gonna know sooner than that – y’all are like two magnets gettin’ pulled to each other.”

“Thanks, Mel,” Rey said quietly, watching as Clyde danced with his niece – who was wearing the same costume as her Uncle.

Rey moved towards the still dancing couple until Clyde looked up, his eyes widening slightly as he watched her approaching them. “Can I cut in?” Rey asked when she was standing next to Sadie, and the little girl looked up, winking as she said, “Ya sure can, President Reagan! Enjoy!”

As Rey stepped into Clyde’s arms, the song switched to something she found rather fitting for the moment – Lonestar’s  _ Amazed. _ Looking into Clyde’s eyes, Rey finally spoke, her voice muffled somewhat by her mask.

“You’re the cutest bee I have ever seen… and I’m allergic to them.”

Clyde lifted one side of his lips into a smile as his right hand settled onto her hip and he started to sway to the music, although his eyes were still worried as he spoke. "You gonna rob a bank for me, darlin'? Ronald Reagan ain't never looked as good as ya do right now... So, ya comin' here bringin' us bad news? Or are ya comin' home to us, Rey?" his voice was a little hopeful as his eyes searched hers.

Rey stepped in closer, letting out a small sigh as she kept her eyes glued to Clyde’s. Reaching up, she removed her mask with one hand before answering him. "Let's just say Agent Sands won't be making any changes to the wonderful investigative work Agent Grayson did. We're still talking about this. Later. Tomorrow."

Clyde nodded slightly as they swayed to the music. “Later. Tomorrow.”

“Can we get out of here? I’d really love to go home and curl up on the couch next to you – if you’ll still have me, that is. If not, I can leave, and I’d understand.” Rey’s words came out in a rush, her nervous energy finally coming out all at once, it seemed.

“Rey, darlin’…” Clyde lifted his hand from where it had rested on her hip to caress her face softly with his fingertips. “There ain’t nothin’ I want more in the world right now. Lemme say my goodbyes, and then we can get on home.”

Rey nodded, and as Clyde took her hand in his, she followed him around the bar, smiling and talking to everyone as Clyde thanked everyone for the birthday wishes. Finally, they stood in front of Jimmy and Mellie, and as Mellie bounced up and down excitedly, Jimmy just shook his head before reaching out and pulling Rey into a hug.

“Thanks for not giving us up. Ya must love my brother a helluva lot. Almost as much as we love havin’ ya in the family,” Jimmy whispered in her ear, and Rey just smiled at him, nodding her head slightly as he released her and straightened to his full height.

As they stepped outside onto the porch, Earl smirked as he caught sight of Rey. “I knew it was ya behind that mask, Madam President,” he quipped before taking a drag off his cigarette. 

Clyde shook his head as they headed towards his truck. “Ya lock up for me, Earl?”

“Ya know it,” Earl answered, winking at Rey as both she and Clyde looked back at him. Rey smiled and shook her head, squeezing Clyde’s hand as they stepped off the porch onto the gravel of the parking lot.

“Clyde?” Rey asked as they approached his truck.

“Yeah, darlin’?” His brown eyes met hers, and the love she saw in them almost took her breath away.

“I’ll drive in my car, if that’s okay? I… I am hoping we don’t leave the house tomorrow. Or… maybe for a few days.” Rey stood on her tiptoes, planting a soft kiss to Clyde’s lips. “I promise, I’ll be right behind you.”

Clyde captured her lips with his again, letting the kiss linger for a few moments before pulling away from her. “Ya better be. Sure been lonely without ya.” With a half-smile, Clyde brushed his fingers against her lips before turning and getting into his truck.

Rey didn’t waste any time getting into her own car and pulling onto the road, making quick time of getting to Clyde’s house. As she pulled into the driveway, she smiled as she saw him sitting on the porch waiting for her. Rey wanted to run to him and jump into his arms to beg his forgiveness, but instead, she kept herself calm as she exited her vehicle and approached him.

Clyde stood, looking down at her for a moment before smiling. “Hi. Welcome home.”

Tears immediately sprang into Rey’s eyes as she looked at Clyde. “Oh Clyde, I am so sorry. I am so sorry I left and I wasn’t here for you…”

“Shh, darlin’… let’s go on inside and we can talk about it, alright?” Clyde stepped forward, using his thumb to wipe her tears away. “Don’t cry. Yer here now, and I ain’t ever been so happy to see Ronald Reagan walkin’ into my bar, for sure. C’mon, let’s get ya inside.”

Rey simply nodded, clutching Clyde’s hand as he grabbed it, guiding her inside the house and to the couch, where she settled onto her side.

Clyde bent down, kissing her cheek softly as he said, “I’m gonna go get outta this ridiculous getup. Ya want me to grab yer bag from the car so ya can do the same? Not that your costume is as ridiculous as mine… but I figured ya might wanna be comfortable ‘n all.”

All Rey could do was nod, sniffling as she tried to control the onslaught of tears falling from her eyes. A wash of guilt overcame her once more as Clyde went back outside to get her bag and her eyes travelled to the carpet – only to find it had been replaced.

So much had changed, and her man had gone through it alone- all because she was so conflicted between what was truly important to her – Clyde and her newly found family here in Boone County – and her job. As much as Rey loved her job – she loved Clyde more. It had taken nearly losing him and spending two months in agony as she worked through her feelings to realize it.

Never again. Never again would she choose her job over Clyde.

Clyde came back after a few minutes, watching her for only a few seconds before settling onto the couch beside her, using his good arm to pull her into his arms. Rey tried to be careful of his still healing shoulder as she burrowed her face into his chest, sobs wracking her slight frame now. She felt Clyde’s fingers in her hair, his voice small as he tried to comfort her.

“I..I..I’m so sorry for leaving… I just… I didn’t know what to do and as an agent I had a duty to report what you’d done. But… but I couldn’t do it because you’re more important than some stupid job in some stupid city five hours away. If… If you can forgive me for running away and leaving you to deal with everything on your own… I…I promise I’ll never run away again, Clyde. I don’t want to. All I want is you.”

“I forgive ya, darlin’. Ain’t no call fer ya to even ask for my forgiveness. Ya had a job ta do, after all. Ya told me everythin’ I needed ta know in the note ya left me. Ain’t gonna lie and say it didn’t hurt some, cuz it did. It hurt bad. But it said ya needed time, and that ya still loved me… so I gave ya time. And looky here, seems it paid off for me, since yer here and sitting on my couch ‘n all. How about ya go hop in the shower and get comfortable ‘n all? I’ll get changed and make us somethin’ ta eat, then we can talk more. Deal?”  Clyde kissed the top of her head softly, and Rey pulled her head off his chest, eyes glistening with tears as she nodded at him.

“Deal.”

….

A shower had been just what she needed, Rey knew as she stood underneath the steaming stream of water, tears flowing down her cheeks as she cried even more. She had to get it all out of her system, even though she had made her decision – Clyde would never have to worry about her leaving again, even when she had to go back to Pittsburgh. He was her family, and he was her home.

If only she’d resolved herself to that earlier, then he wouldn’t have had to recover from his injuries, sad and alone.

“Never again,” Rey said into the steam with a smile. “Never again.”

After drying off, she dressed and padded barefoot out into the living room, where Clyde was in his normal spot on the couch. Thankfully, he was dressed in his normal clothing now – although Rey hadn’t lied to him – he was the cutest bee she had ever laid eyes on.

“Hey,” she said quietly as she approached him, not sure whether she should slide onto his lap like she wanted, or take her spot next to him on the couch. Deciding to err on the side of caution, as she didn’t know how sore he still was, Rey sat next to him, looking at him almost shyly for a moment. Clyde opened his arms, motioning to her to slide into his arms with a tilt of his head.

If anything had ever felt like truly coming home to her, it was this; the feeling of his arms coming around her, her head resting against his chest, where she could hear his heart beating, strong and steady under her ear. This man was her home, her safe haven.

“Ya ain’t gotta be shy with me, darlin’. I know yer strugglin’, feelin’ guilty about how this all went down, but ya ain’t gotta. I’m here. You’re here. We’re together. I believe ya when ya say ya ain’t leavin’ me again. I understand, Rey. I just hope ya can forgive me for not bein’ completely honest with ya.”

“I forgive you. I probably would have kept that to myself too.” Rey snuggled closer to Clyde, breathing in and letting his scent wash over her. “How’s your shoulder feeling? Are you still doing physical therapy?” Rey looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes met his.

Clyde laughed as he brought his fingers to lift her chin so he could kiss her lovingly. “Mellie been sendin’ ya updates, has she? I kinda wondered why she was bein’ all secretive and tryin’ to act like she wasn’t takin’ pictures and videos of me.”

“Yeah, she was. I asked her to keep me updated. I couldn’t not know how you were doing. I  _ missed _ you. I just… Clyde… do you have anything else you’re keeping from me? I need to know. I need to be able to trust you.” Rey’s eyes were serious as she looked into his.

“I ain’t got nothin’ else hidin’ away. I won’t ever keep no secrets from ya again, Rey. I mean it. I’d rather pull my finger and toenails out with a pair a rusty pliers than lie to ya or keep somethin’ from ya. You’re my everythin’. Keepin’ ya happy and safe is all I want. I got my bar ‘n my family. What else could I ever want in life?” Clyde leaned down and kissed her again, and Rey felt another rush of emotions.

_ He’s my home. I’m home… this is home. _

“What made ya decide to come back, darlin’? I wanted to text ya every single day to beg ya to come home…but I did as ya asked. It was… it was rough that first week. I don’t remember much of anythin’. Just missin’ ya and thinkin’ I done screwed up good.” Clyde kept his forehead against hers, his eyes intense as they gazed into her own.

“I found the poem,” Rey sighed, bringing up one hand to lay gently against his cheek. “I just… I realized I couldn’t do it anymore without you. I didn’t care, because all I want is to be with you. You guys just took enough to make sure you didn’t have to struggle any more, and you gave the rest back. The race track made out great after they filed with their insurance company… no one was harmed. I just… I wanted you. You’re my home, Clyde. I’m probably the world’s worst FBI agent, I know…”

“Yer perfect, Rey. I love ya so much, I’m so glad yer home.” Clyde’s eyes filled with tears, and it was Rey’s turn now to wipe them away.

“I am, and I love you too, so much. Now… Mr. Logan… what did the physical therapist and doctor say about being able to please your woman? Any restrictions on that?”

“None whatsoever.” Clyde grinned as he stood, helping her up and somehow managing to pull her up into his arms, kissing her to stifle her protests as he carried her to their bedroom.

….

“So… Alex worked for the mob?” Clyde asked hours later as he hand-fed Rey a grape. They were both naked, laying across the bed in post-coital bliss. He had insisted on getting her something to snack on after her stomach growled loudly, and as she sank back onto her pillow with a sigh, she realized she couldn’t deny that she liked being pampered by him sometimes.

“Yes. He started working for them as a security guard for the boss’s youngest daughter. They must have seen something in him that they liked, because he moved up fairly quickly in the organization. They are a new family in the mafia world, and were vying for power. They thought Fellini was a double agent, so to speak, so they needed him gone.” Rey stopped speaking when Clyde put another grape to her lips, and she watched lazily as his breath sped up when she sucked his fingers into her mouth after taking the fruit, her tongue swiping over his fingertips deliciously.

“Rey…” Clyde breathed out gently, loving the way she was teasing him.

Rey smirked as she chewed the grape, swallowing before continuing her story. “Alex didn’t kill Fellini, but he did suggest the Duck Tape and Boone County as a good place to do the deed. Fellini thought he was coming here to meet with someone friendly to the family, out in the middle of nowhere so they could talk business. He never expected to get whacked.”

Clyde nodded thoughtfully. “Because we’re country folk, they thought it’d be simple like, I’m guessin’. No one ever expected some cute little FBI Agent to come on down and fall in love with a Logan while investigatin’ the case. I’m guessin’ Alex is gonna go up the river for a while?” Clyde ran a hand through his hair, his eyes never leaving Rey. He loved watching her as he cared for her. He would always care for her, always put her needs first – because she’d never had that in her life. Gone were the days of her muddling through life alone.

She had him, now. Him and his family.

Rey shrugged. “It’s out of my hands now. I imagine – if he’s smart – he’ll take a plea bargain and talk even more, maybe name some people higher up that were complicit in Fellini’s murder. Then, he’ll probably be offered witness protection. I’m sorry. He should pay more for what he did to you.”

“I just want him out of our lives forever. He coulda killed ya. That’s all I cared about, but, in the end, we still came out ahead, far as I see it. We get to be together, and he’ll probably end up in some tiny town in the middle of nowhere, with some crappy job.” Clyde smiled at Rey before reaching over her naked form, stopping to plant a kiss to her breast before sitting up again, an object dangling from his hand. “I believe I have somethin’ that belongs to ya, darlin’. Looks better on you than it ever did on me.”

Rey smiled before reaching out and taking the necklace from Clyde’s hand, the heavy weight of the horseshoe ring hanging from it was familiar as she slipped it over her head. Glancing at the digital clock on the nightstand, Rey smiled at Clyde before leaning in and kissing him softly. “Happy Birthday, Clyde. I got you something.”

Rey slipped out of bed, and Clyde’s eyes watched her hungrily as she crossed the room to where her bag rested, rifling around inside it before producing a package, wrapped in colorful paper fashioned with tacos. Grinning, Rey handed the gift to him, watching as he raised an eyebrow at her when he saw the gift wrap.

“I was hungry when I was shopping for this, what can I say?” Rey shrugged, watching him as he tore the wrapping paper from it. Inside was a first edition copy of his, and her own, favorite book:  _ Fahrenheit 451 _ . Rey had come across it in a quaint bookstore one afternoon, and she knew she had to buy it for him. The book wasn’t entirely her complete present, and so Rey gave him a smile and said, “Page 67 is the second half to your gift.”

Clyde’s eyes were already brimming with tears as he turned to the page Rey had given him, and his brow wrinkled as he saw a folded piece of paper tucked inside. Taking it out, he opened it, reading it to himself before looking up at Rey, trying to keep himself from crying as his heart soared.

“Ya… ya resigned from the FBI? Rey… darlin’…”

“I did,” Rey said softly. Moving closer to Clyde, she wrapped her arms around his neck – mindful of his still sore shoulder – and laid her forehead against his. “I just realized that everything in my world that I gave a damn about was here in Boone County, and that nothing else was important to me anymore. Sure, I love my job… but my place is here… and I, um, I have another job lined up here. I just need to find a place to live and all.”

Clyde huffed out a quiet laugh, his eyes still wet with unshed tears. “Like that’s even a problem. Ya can live here with me. Everythin’ I got is yours already. My heart, my home, my body, my soul. Ya had it since that day in the police station.” He reached up to touch her face softly, letting his index finger whisper over her bottom lip. “Finally, after all this, we can be together all the time. Go to bed together, wake up together, watch yer ridiculous shows together.” Clyde smiled at her. “I just want ya with me, darlin’. Please say ya will move in with me?”

“Yes… I will.” Rey answered without hesitation, letting her hands drift across Clyde’s chest to gently caress the scar on his left upper chest. “Clyde… why are you forgiving me so easily for leaving you? It… I hurt you. Badly. I know it did… yet here we are.”

“Because I understand you. I know ya had to decide which half of ya needed to come out in all this. I love watching ya work, Rey. Yer so damn fierce when ya need to be, it terrifies me. I mean, ya just found out the man ya loved was a… well, a bigger criminal than ya thought he was… so Agent Sands had to take herself out of the equation so that she could figure things out. I have ta admit, though, I’m glad the Rey Sands side a ya won. Plus, ya know I always told ya we were meant ta be ‘n all. I had faith ya would come back to me. It wasn’t easy… but I love ya enough to give ya up if I had too.”

“You’ll never have to give me up, Clyde. Never again.”

“I know, darlin’. I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife) (All the twitters - I know them!)


	14. Country Roads, Take Me Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey finds her way home...
> 
> All that glitters... is definitely gold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost done, folks! Now... for that happily ever after I promised everyone!!!
> 
> Thank you all so much for loving this fic as much as you do!!!
> 
> 1 chapter to go!
> 
> Thanks as always to my beta/moodboard artist: [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)

[ ](https://imgur.com/EN9bC1a)

 

**1 Month Later**

The square green sign declaring ‘Boone County, Certified Business Location’ put a smile on Rey’s face as the low tones of John Denver singing about country roads taking him home spoke to her very soul. After giving her notice to the FBI, Rey had returned to Pittsburgh to finish up her open investigations and tie up loose ends before selling off her furniture and packing up what few things she was bringing with her into her new life.

A new life. With Clyde. Not only Clyde – but Jimmy, Sylvia, Sadie and Mellie, as well. A  _ family _ to call her own. For someone who had grown up being shuffled from foster home to foster home, never having stability – having a family was the best thing she had ever experienced.

As Rey drove down the now familiar roads towards Clyde’s house, she couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She hadn’t told Clyde yet, but she had already gotten word that she was to join the Boone County Sheriff’s department as their newest Deputy. She was still going to be able to use her training and her college degree to do what she loved, and she got to be with Clyde while doing it. She knew he was going to worry about her every shift she worked, but her man was proud of her, and she knew that as long as she was happy, he was happy as well.

As she pulled her car into the driveway, Rey’s eyes were filled with tears. Sadie had worked her magic again, and a long banner was hung across the porch, the bold, colorful letters declaring ‘Welcome Home, Rey!” If this was what having a family was all about, then Rey was all in.

….

Rey stepped onto the porch of the Duck Tape, smirking at Earl, who was perched in his normal spot by the door.

“Evenin’, Deputy,” he drawled before taking a drag off his cigarette.

“Evening, Earl. Everything quiet around here tonight?” Rey stopped for a moment, looking down at him, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Not a lot happened around Boone County, but if you wanted to know what  _ was _ happening, Earl usually had the scoop.

“Raccoons got in the trash again. Ya should really tell yer man ta get better lids or put ‘em inside or somethin’. Damn things make a ruckus when they’re getting’ in ‘em ‘n all.”

Rey grinned and nodded. “I have ways of convincing him to do things. I’ll mention it.” She winked at Earl before heading inside, her eyes immediately going to Clyde’s.

The smile he gave her was nothing short of brilliant, and was matched by one of her own. They had fallen into an easy routine after she had moved to Boone County two months ago. Rey would work her patrol shift as a sheriff from three in the afternoon until eleven at night, and then she would head to the Duck Tape, where she would change clothes and help Clyde man the bar and close it up when it was time.

They made a great team, and it seemed like they inherently knew what the others next move was going to be before they made it – whether it was moving around each other behind the bar to mix a drink, or at home, when they were cooking together in the kitchen. He was more than just her boyfriend, her lover and her friend – Clyde was her partner now.

They knew what the other wanted in the bedroom too. Clyde always made sure she was satisfied before taking his own pleasure, but Rey liked surprising him sometimes too. Whether it was pleasuring him with her mouth or hand as they watched television together – or tonight – when Rey planned on teasing him until he couldn’t handle it any more. Oh, she had plans for her man after the bar was closed for the night.

Striding up to the bar, Rey leaned over it, planting a kiss on Clyde’s lips. His eyes raked over her, one side of his lips lifting up to smirk as he remarked, “I love a woman in uniform…”

“You bet your ass you do,” Rey replied, heading towards the bathroom to change into her regular clothes.

As Clyde worked behind the bar, he couldn’t help but notice how Rey kept rubbing up against him as they worked together, a playful smile on her face as she ran one hand over his thigh while he was making an Alabama Slammer for one of the regulars. “Now what are ya doin’ here, darlin’?” he asked as she rubbed up against him, the perfect globes of her ass connecting with his half-hard length through the fabric of their pants.

“Getting you ready.” Rey smiled at him, winking as she went to wipe down some empty tables.

Clyde hissed out a breath, his face coloring as he went back to work, trying to ignore how turned on he was. His woman was fierce and determined – and damned sexy too. He could hardly concentrate as they worked, because every chance she found, Rey was  _ touching _ him.

It was driving him  _ crazy _ , but that’s what she wanted, wasn’t it?

Well, two could play at that game, as far as Clyde was concerned.

As Rey poured a drink, Clyde slid past her, making sure to rub his rapidly thickening length against her, his fingers running softly along the small of her back. He could tell it had the desired effect on her, as she stiffened and her eyes grew wide. Clyde looked at her and smiled as he poured a mug of beer from the tap, winking at her as he passed by once more, letting his upper arm brush up against the skin of her upper arm. Leaning in, he whispered, “I can’t wait to get ya home, darlin’. “His smile widened as he saw the goosebumps form on her skin, the slight shiver accompanying them telling him all he needed to know. His girl was as worked up as he was.

An hour passed, and the bar had settled down enough that Clyde could make his way into the office to settle accounts for the night. Carrie Jo was busy cleaning and manning the bar, and Rey had been stocking the cooler, after claiming she was  _ too hot _ . Clyde had grinned at her statement and leaned in to whisper, “I like makin’ ya hot ‘n bothered, darlin’.” Rey had smirked at him before heading to the cooler, making sure she swayed her hips a little more than usual just for him.

As Clyde entered the small office and sat down, closing the door part way, he heard Rey’s voice coming from under the desk.

“Took you long enough.”

Clyde smirked as Rey reached out to unbutton his jeans. “Now, darlin’, I got the door open in case Carrie Jo needs us, or a scrap breaks out…” Clyde looked down at Rey, who continued on with her work, unzipping his pants and palming his thick length before she looked up at him, biting her bottom lip.

“That’s part of the fun. Now, push the chair in as far as you can and let me take care of you.”

Clyde knew by now to not try and stop Rey when she had her mind made up, so with another quick glance out into the bar, he pushed his office chair in as far as he could, shuddering as he felt Rey’s hand wrapping around his length after freeing it from the confines of his boxers.

Settling back into the chair as he felt her moist lips wrap around his head, her tongue flicking at the precum at the tip briefly, Clyde hissed in a breath, his hand resting on the top of her head as she took as much of him in her mouth as she could, wrapping one of her hands around the base to make sure he was completely taken care of.

Pumping her hand upwards, her tongue swirled over his head, and she hollowed out her cheeks to create more friction against his swollen member. Clyde let out a moan, shivering as he resisted the urge to thrust in her mouth. He was so worked up, so ready for her, and the excitement of knowing someone could walk in or look in at any time made it even more exciting. He put his hand on her head lightly as she worked him with hand and mouth, setting a delicious warm rhythm. “Rey…” he moaned breathlessly, his orgasm quickly approaching. The tight coil in his abdomen built and built, and Clyde thrust up into her mouth once, growling as Rey came off his cock with a wet pop of her lips.

“Wh-“ Clyde looked down at his love, his brow wrinkled in confusion, his eyes heavy-lidded with passion.

Rey only smirked at him in return, pushing the chair so it would roll back enough for her to crawl out from under the desk. Standing in front of him now, Rey leaned down, kissing him deeply as her fingers tucked him back into his jeans, zipping them up deftly.

“This will make later even sweeter, baby. Because now you have to work the rest of your shift aching for me, thinking about what we’re going to do to each other later.”

Rey smirked and turned to leave, but Clyde was quick to grab her arm gently, turning her around and bringing her to rest on his lap. “Not so quick, there, darlin’. The way I see it, two can play at this game.” Clyde kissed her, working the button and zipper on her jeans quickly, Clyde gained access to her already wet and swollen core, sliding a thick finger over the lace fabric of her panties. Rey let out a low moan at the pressure against her, canting her hips up slightly to try and get more pressure.

Clyde whispered in her ear as he found the waistband of her panties, sliding beneath it and towards her swollen folds slowly. “Lace panties for me, darlin’? I want to take them off with my teeth, slowly, before I taste ya. I love the way ya look when ya fall apart because of me.” Clyde finally slid a finger through her soaked lips, and Rey shivered on his lip, grinding her ass over his engorged cock just a little. “Ya like this, darlin’? Like the way I touch ya?”

“Yes,” Rey said with a low moan as Clyde slid one finger into her. She was soaked, and she wanted this, wanted him – she didn’t want to wait any longer. He pumped his finger inside her, pulling her face to his for a kiss as he added a second finger. After a long kiss, Clyde used his thumb to stroke her clit, his tongue dancing with hers as she moaned into his mouth. It didn’t take long for her to let out a low moan, her body tensing on the cusp of an orgasm.

The look on her face when Clyde withdrew his hand was smoldering, and he smiled at her as he sucked her essence off his fingers. “Later,” he promised, his voice husky with need as he helped her straighten and fasten her pants once more.

Huffing and pressing her thighs together to try and give herself the friction she needed to soothe the ache, Rey kissed Clyde once more, moaning into his mouth before pulling away to speak. “Later. As soon as we lock the doors, you better be inside me. Understood?”

“We’ll see,” Clyde grinned at her. “Now, lemme get this done so I can meet yer demands later.” Clyde kissed her again, and Rey stood finally, smiling at him.

“I love you, Logan.”

“Love ya too, Deputy Sands.”

….

As soon as the last person was out the door and Clyde had locked the doors, Rey practically pounced on him, her mouth hungrily crashing onto his. Clyde had his arm around her, hoisting her up and against him, her legs curling around his waist as he turned and headed towards the bar, plopping her down on the bar top, making sure his lips never left hers.

“Clyde,” Rey breathed out, aching with need. She was so wet, so ready for him. It had been hard to keep her hands off of him for the last three hours of their day, but that just made what was about to happen that much better, she was certain.

Clyde wasted no time in removing her shoes and socks before reaching up and undoing her jeans, pulling them down almost roughly as he let out a low growl, his eyes burning as he took in the green lace panties she had bought the week before for this occasion. Leaning in, he placed wet kisses along the fabric before sucking in, her hips bucking up at the feeling on her sensitive nub.

“Have I ever told ya how delicious ya taste, darlin’? I could eat ya for every meal and still be hungry for ya.”

Rey shivered at his words. She loved it when he talked to her like this, his voice heavy with passion and longing.

Clyde moved up, clutching at the hem of her shirt and lifting it up and over her head, planting heated kisses to the green lace of her matching bra, his tongue swiping at her nipples through the fabric. Rey shivered more, curling her fingers into his hair as he reached behind her, working the fastenings of her bra deftly with his good hand. It took him a moment, but finally the fabric was free, and as Clyde threw it to the floor along with her other clothes, his good hand cupped her breast, while his mouth took her other breast between his lips, his tongue lapping at her already hardened nipple.

Rey moaned. “Oh, Clyde, yes…”

Pulling her hips forward so that her ass rested on the edge of the bar top, Clyde left a lazy trail of hot kisses down her body, kissing the inside of both thighs and leaving her shivering in anticipation as he huffed a few hot breaths over her needy core before his tongue slid between her soaked folds, trailing a sloppy path up towards her aching nub. He sank one finger in her, adding another after a few pumps inside, and Rey was already close as he worked her, adding in his tongue swirling over her clit, creating the delicious friction she had been longing for for hours now.

Her hips bucked up into his mouth, and she tugged on his hair, low moans leaving her mouth as she let the feeling coil tightly in her gut, the waves rising higher and higher until they crashed over her, leaving her a writhing, frantic mess as she cried out Clyde’s name again and again. He worked her through her climax, moving up to pull her close and kiss her. The taste of her on his lips – musky and tangy – only fueled her longing to have him inside her more, and she pulled her lips away long enough to whisper just that into his ear before taking the delicate lobe into her mouth.

Clyde shivered, already reaching down to undo his pants as Rey started working the buttons on his shirt. His girl growled in frustration after a moment, pushing the fabric apart far enough to get her hands inside to feel his skin, running her hands over the hard muscled planes of his chest. “Fuck this taking clothes off bullshit, I need you inside me  _ now _ ,” Rey hissed, and as Clyde slid down his pants and boxers enough for his hard cock to spring out, he pulled her off the bar top gently, turning her so she was facing the bar.

Rey shuddered in anticipation, placing her hands on the edge of the wooden bar. She just wanted her man inside her – nothing felt better than having them joined as one. Finally – finally – she felt Clyde’s hand on her hip, and she spread her legs in anticipation, jutting her ass out to show her eagerness for what was about to happen. Clyde’s cock nudged against her opening, and Rey pushed back a little against it, the head barely slipping past her folds before his fingers tightened on her hip and he slid himself home inside her.

“Rey, darlin’, ya always feel so good wrapped around me,” Clyde said before starting to move his hand from her hip up to her breast, where he squeezed it gently as he leaned down, planting a kiss to her shoulder as he moved within her. “Ya feel like heaven, darlin’, wrapped around me so perfectly. Like we were always meant ta be.” His hand trailed down to the patch of dark curls between her thighs, his finger sliding through her slick folds until it reached her swollen, sensitive clit, and as he thrust into her, racing rapidly towards his own pleasure, he worked her clit, the filthy noises he was eliciting from her making his rise to climax even quicker. “Rey…Rey Rey Oh Rey,” Clyde chanted her name like a cadence as he increased his pace, his balls slapping against her ass with each thrust. He grunted a final time as his orgasm hit him, his spend coating her deep inside as he finished her off as well, her cries melding with his in the still air of the bar. Clyde leaned in, beads of sweat falling to land on Rey’s own sweat-coated shoulder as he planted another kiss there, his breath coming in short pants as he rode out the aftershocks of his ecstasy.

Rey turned after a few more moments, her lips meeting his in a loving kiss. “I love you, Clyde.”

“Love ya too, darlin’. Now, let’s head home and go to bed, maybe do this again in our own bed?” Clyde smiled at her before kissing her again. She looked beautiful, her color heightened and her body relaxed – she looked like a woman who had been thoroughly satisfied by her man.

“You know it, big guy.”

….

**2 Months Later**

Clyde looked up as one of the county’s Deputy’s approached the bar, a serious look on his face. He had known Ronnie Wilkinson his whole life practically. His heart clenched in his chest, and he tried to appear calm outwardly as he nodded at him, hoping the grim look on the man’s face was not anything to do with Rey. “What can I get ya?”

“Uh, Clyde… I, um… it’s Rey, ya see. Cap sent me over ta get ya, she’s in the emergency room.” Ronnie must have seen the look of horror cross his old friend’s face, because he threw a hand up as Clyde vaulted over the bar and headed toward the door. “Clyde, she’s gonna be okay. She just got in an altercation with someone at the McTavish’s place. She had to serve ‘em with eviction papers, and they got mad.”

If Clyde was paying attention, he didn’t acknowledge that fact, striding outside and to his truck faster than the deputy could keep up with, and as he pulled out of the parking lot with a squeal of tires, the deputy just shook his head. Ole Clyde had it bad for Deputy Sands, for sure.

Clyde had spent far too much time at Boone Memorial Hospital. As he strode in the doors, heading straight for the reception desk, he was hoping that it wasn’t too bad, that Rey would be able to come home with him. He wanted to shower with his love and take care of all her needs – whatever they were.

“Yes, sir?” The clerk looked up at him, and Clyde gave her a grim smile.

“Deputy Sands got brought in here. I’m her next a kin. Where is she?” Clyde was trying to keep it together, but his anxiety was growing with every passing second.

Waiting for the clerk to punch some keys on her keyboard had Clyde gritting his teeth. He needed to see Rey, for his own peace of mind. While he was proud of her – this was the part he hated about her line of work. The fact that she could kiss him goodbye in the morning and never come home again always lingered at the back of his brain – a tic that wouldn’t go away.

“She’s in room five, sir. Through those doors and take a right – fifth room down.” The woman smiled at him, and Clyde muttered a quick thanks before turning and making his way through the doors until he stood outside the curtain-covered doorway of the emergency room, the plastic sign above the door declaring it as room five.

Pulling the curtain aside, Clyde stepped into the small room, his eyes instantly going to the cot, where Rey was looking up at him with a smile on her face. “Hey, big guy,” she said. “Took you long enough. I told Wilkinson it’d be ten minutes, but it was actually twenty. I’m impressed, and I just lost twenty bucks.”

Clyde just gaped at her for a moment, noting her swollen lip and red cheek before sliding the plastic chair to the bedside, settling himself onto it carefully. “Ya took bets on how long it’d take me ta get to ya?”

“I know you, Clyde Logan. You’re going to fuss over a hangnail if it makes me uncomfortable. It’s just the kind of man you are – one of a long list of reasons why I love you as much as I do.” Rey put out a hand, smiling widely when Clyde’s fingers twined with hers. “I got five stitches in my upper arm from a steak knife that came out of nowhere, and as you can tell, he got a few good punches in on me before I took him down.”

Clyde stiffened as he looked at her face again, the split lip swollen and painful looking, and her cheek starting to darken with what would be a nasty bruise in the morning. He licked his lips before asking slowly, “Are ya hurtin’ much, darlin’?” Clyde squeezed her hand gently, trying to stay calm still. He didn’t care for the thought that someone had hurt his girlfriend.

“No, I’m not. We should be able to go home soon. They wanted you to be here to drive me home, and Cap will bring my cruiser by later.” Rey leaned over to capture his lips in a kiss. “I know you were going to be worried too. I love you.”

“Love ya, too, darlin’. I always worry about ya. It’s my job.” Clyde gave her a half-smile and squeezed her hand again.

….

As they lay in bed later that night, Rey’s small frame tucked tightly against his as she slept peacefully, Clyde found his mind simply wouldn’t shut off. The thought that Rey had been injured on the job simply wouldn’t leave him alone, and every time he closed his eyes, all he could think about was how short life was, and how he didn’t want to spend it with anyone but Rey.

Finally, Clyde closed his eyes, hatching a plan in his head as he drifted off to sleep.

….

**3 Months Later**

Rey’s radio crackled to life as she sat just outside Danville, running radar on Route 119. “31-13, your half unit called the station and asked if you could meet him at his place of business regarding a personal matter at your earliest convenience.”

Rey’s brow crinkled up in confusion as she picked up her microphone and cued the device to reply to the dispatcher. “31-13, Copy that. En route. Mileage…” Rey peered at the dashboard of her cruiser before continuing, “92720.”

Why didn’t Clyde just message her? He had his cellphone with him – he  _ always _ had it with him now, so they could text throughout the day. It didn’t take her long to get to the Duck Tape, and she smiled as she saw Clyde’s truck parked in its normal place.

Grabbing up her microphone, Rey radioed in to the dispatcher. “31-13, Dispatch. On location. Mileage 92727 at 1534.”

Stepping out of her cruiser, Rey stepped onto the gravel of the parking lot, the crunching of her booted feet the only sound as her heart raced in her chest. If something had happened – if something was wrong with Clyde – Rey wouldn’t be able to handle it. The thought of being without him was simply not one Rey wanted to think about – ever. A slight breeze blew stray strands of hair from the triple buns she always put it in when she went to work, and she huffed in annoyance, pushing it out of her face.

Finally, after what seemed like the longest walk of her life, Rey stepped onto the porch of the bar, shaking her head at the ever present Earl, sitting in his chair already. Rey had never quite figured out just  _ when _ he actually had his garage open – because the only time she ever saw him was in his seat on the porch of the Duck Tape.

“Afternoon, Deputy Sands.” Earl nodded at her, and Rey gave him a bright smile back.

“Good afternoon, Earl.” Rey opened the door and stepped inside the bar she loved so much, her eyes adjusting to the dimly lit building after a moment. She heard shuffling towards the back of the building, and so she made her way there, smiling as she saw Clyde working in the beer cooler, emptying boxes and cartons. He was dressed differently than he usually was, though, she noticed, and as he turned to look at her, Rey felt her heartbeat quicken in her chest.

Clyde – her Clyde – was wearing the same outfit he had worn to church the day they went, the same outfit he had worn on their date to the steakhouse, as well. “Clyde? Dispatch says you needed to see me? Are you okay?” Rey approached the beer cooler, stopping as she got to the door.

“Oh, I’m fine. Mind the door, darlin’, don’t wanna get locked in here like before. Can ya check that box for me? Make sure it’s holdin’ the door firm ‘n all?”

“Um, yeah, sure.” Rey looked down at the box, a low gasp leaving her lips as she saw the small blue box on top of the cardboard box holding the cooler door open. Reaching down, she plucked it up, turning to find Clyde on one bent knee in front of her, his eyes teary as he reached up to take the box from her hand gently.

“I felt this was kinda appropriate ‘n all, since this here beer cooler is where I first decided I was gonna marry ya ‘n all. Ya looked some damn beautiful that day, and we had this connection that’s never gone away. I think I knew it the moment I laid eyes on ya in the police station, when ya were actin’ all fierce with me. I love ya, Rey, yer my world. Everythin’ I have I wanna share with ya. I want every moment of the rest of our lives to happen together. I guess what I’m gettin’ at here, since I am down here on one knee, is this: will ya marry me, Rey? Please?” Clyde somehow managed to open the box with his last words, revealing a delicate emerald and diamond ring.

Rey’s hand came up to her mouth as it opened in surprise, tears springing into her eyes as she looked from the ring to Clyde’s face. Too overcome with emotion, Rey nodded at first, until she was able to say one word in response – her voice a whisper under the hum of the beer cooler.

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife) (All the twitters - I know them!)


	15. Speechless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A country weddin', and an epilogue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... it's here, guys. The _last_ chapter, and the HEA these 2 deserve!
> 
> This fic is so close to my heart. You all know how much I _LOVE_ Clyde Logan and the way Adam portrays him. I am shocked I got anyone to read this fic. I am shocked people liked it.
> 
> Thanks as always to a few people: My beta and moodboard artist: [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite). She is, simply, amazing.
> 
> My main spitballer and secret keeper, [commandercrouton](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton). Thank you, Boo! I love you so much.
> 
> And lastly, thanks to all of YOU, my readers. Your love for this fic gives me life.... and I have other glorious fics out there for you all to read - just check my works. Do it. _You'll see_!
> 
> Without further ado... here's the finale!

[ ](https://imgur.com/eUGn31o)

 

Rey huffed in annoyance as Mellie fussed with her hair for what had to be the millionth time in a two hour span. “Mel… come on, you have to be done fussing over my hair by now! How hard is it to throw it up in a bun or ponytail or even braid it?”

“Rey Sands – soon to be Logan! I have a reputation ta uphold as a professional cosmetologist! Now, ya gotta look perfect for my big brother on yer weddin’ day – so ya will sit still and lemme fuss over ya! Got it?”

“Got it,” Rey mumbled, feeling very much like a five-year-old getting chastised for stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. Closing her eyes, Rey tried to relax, telling herself that nothing was changing for her and Clyde. They already lived together, already shared a bank account and credit cards – all that was going to change was her last name.  _ Rey Logan. It sounds perfect.  _ Even though Rey tried to tell herself all this, she knew it would feel different in her heart and soul. Her sweet, handsome, intelligent and kind husband-to-be had shaken her world to its very core, and had given her the things she had always dreamt about having; a home, a family, friends, love.

So much love. Rey had never fathomed having so much love in her life.

An hour later, and Mellie took a step back from her finally, gasping softly. “Rey… Clyde’s gonna lose his damn mind. Have a look-see. This is definitely my best work.”

Rey stood up and went to the full length mirror, letting out a small gasp as she took the first sight of herself. Ready to bond herself to Clyde for the rest of their lives. Mellie had woven wildflowers through her hair, creating a delicate crown that was pinned to the crown of her head. Her makeup was all natural, but created a softness and a glow that Rey had never been able to create herself. Her dress was simple, made of ivory lace that flowed around her feet, with a high, square neckline and flowing sleeves. She had decided on a simple pair of flats to go along with it – not trusting herself to try heels on a day that was supposed to be perfect. She felt like she was in a dream, living in some fantasy world where she was a Princess, getting to marry her Prince Charming.

She felt tears prick her eyes. No… she couldn’t cry. She’d ruin her makeup.

“Oh, Mellie… I look so beautiful! Thank you!” Rey turned to hug her soon-to-be sister-in-law, and Mellie just squeezed her tightly for a moment.

“Nah, you’re always beautiful, Rey. The makeup is waterproof, cuz I’m pretty sure yer gonna cry giving yer vows to my brother, ain’tcha?” Mellie pulled away, smiling at Rey. “I am so happy y’all found each other.”

“Me too, Mel. Me too.”

….

They had decided to have a small ceremony on the banks of the Little Coal River – in the same spot where they had laid under the stars in the bed of his truck, declaring their love to each other and to the universe on more than one occasion. They both considered this  _ their _ spot, and Rey was sure that if they were ever blessed with children, they would bring their kids here to fish and swim often.

She took a deep breath as she waited in an old duck blind they had thrown up so that Clyde couldn’t see her until she was walking towards him. Sadie had already started the slow walk down the trail, dropping petals of daisies and sunflowers along the path that would lead her to her man – to her destiny.

Mellie peeked around the corner, winking at her. “Ya ready ta do this, sister?”

Rey just nodded, not trusting her voice to work. She had been ready to marry Clyde for a long time now, maybe even since the day she met him.

She waited a couple minutes, willing herself not to cry, and then she started her long walk down the path – to Clyde – to her happily ever after.

….

“Do I look okay? What if she changes her mind or somethin’?” Clyde paced along the riverbank, his brother watching him and shaking his head slightly.

“Clyde, Rey ain’t goin’ nowhere. Get it together, brother. That gal is marryin’ ya today. ‘Sides, ya think Mel would ever let her run away after all the plannin’ she done for this?” Jimmy chuckled, straightening the tie around his neck.

“Yeah. Mel’s got it under control. Yer right. I’m just nervous is all, and this damn tie is gonna choke me ‘fore the damn ceremony is done. How do people wear these things every day?” Clyde put a finger under his tie, trying to loosen it a bit.

“No idea. C’mon, brother, let’s get ya hitched. Preacher’s waitin’ for us ‘n all.” Jimmy put his hand on Clyde’s elbow, guiding him to where the Pastor waited for them. There were only a few people in attendance – Earl, the bartenders from the Duck Tape, the Purple Lady, Joe Bang and his wayward brothers, Sylvia and Bobbie Jo and Moody and their kids. Rey hadn’t wanted a big affair, despite what Mellie had tried to talk her into.

She was like the damn sun, bathing him in her light, Clyde thought when he finally saw Rey, a bouquet of sunflowers and daisies clutched in her hand as she walked down the path towards him. Their eyes met, and Rey smiled at him, tears in her eyes already visible. Clyde felt her own tears come to his eyes, and he reached up to swipe at them.

Finally, she stood before him, resplendent in a lacy ivory dress with a crown of flowers in her hair. “Hi,” she breathed quietly, her smile widening as she reached out and twined her fingers into his.

“Hi,” Clyde said, swallowing thickly before he could get the word out. “You look beautiful, darlin’. Like the sun.”

“Oh, Clyde,” Rey managed to breath out, not bothering to hide the tears that leaked onto her cheeks.

The Pastor cleared his throat, and both Rey and Clyde looked at him as he began to speak about love and commitment, about how his words would bind them together, but Rey had been bound to Clyde Logan almost since the moment they met. When the man finally stopped speaking, he looked at Rey. “You have some words you’d like to offer your groom?”

“I do,” Rey said. She cleared her throat a few times, tears falling onto her cheeks now as she looked into Clyde’s eyes. “I… wow. I had things planned out in my head… I love you. You’ve given me so much already. Love, a family, a home. Things I had always wanted, but never thought I’d have. And today, you’re giving me another gift – your last name. I promise I’ll always be by your side through thick and thin, no matter what. You’re my partner in life, and we make a good team. I promise to never lie, to always tell you what’s on my mind. Most importantly… I promise to love you until the day I die.” Mellie handed her a ring… and Rey slid it home on his right ring finger, pulling his hand to her lips to lay a kiss on the cool metal.

“And you have some words for your bride?” The Pastor asked, smiling now at Clyde.

“Sure do.” Clyde swallowed hard a few times, his Adam’s apple bobbing furiously before he finally spoke. “Yer the most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on, darlin’. Like the sun breaking through the clouds, every time I look atcha. I can’t quite believe ya love me like ya do, but I am grateful I get to spend the resta my life with ya. I promise I will love ya the rest of my life, and I will strive ta be the best man I can be for ya – because ya deserve that. I’ll make sure ‘n always talk to ya about what I’m feelin’, and I know we’ll have our fights – but I’ll never go to bed mad at ya or without tellin’ ya how much I love ya.” Jimmy handed his brother two rings, and Clyde slipped the plain band on her finger before sliding her engagement ring back in place. Bringing her finger to his lips, he planted a kiss to her rings as well, his eyes never leaving hers.

Neither one of them really heard the rest of what the Pastor had to say, and as Clyde kissed his new wife on the banks of the river, with the sounds of the local fauna and the water rushing past, he knew he had never been happier in his life.

….

“I can’t dance, Rey, I’m tellin’ ya!” Clyde looked at his wife as she stood next to him at their reception. It was being held at the Duck Tape, of course, and Mellie was leveling a look at him from across the room, so Clyde knew he wouldn’t have much of a choice in the matter.

“We have to try,  _ husband _ , or your sister is going to lose her mind. Come on, all you have to do is put your arm around me and turn in circles.” Rey grinned at Clyde, pulling him out to the center of the small dance floor. The sounds of  _ Speechless _ by Dan + Shay started playing on the jukebox, and Rey smiled up at her new husband as he pulled her close while people clapped at the newlywed’s first dance together. “I love you,” Rey said as they spun around in circles slowly, her fingers ghosting over the back of his neck as they danced.

“I love you too. Yer so beautiful, like a damn angel. I’m so lucky,” Clyde said thickly before leaning down and kissing her, longing and yearning in the gesture. Leaning his forehead against hers as the song shifted to Blake Shelton’s  _ God Gave Me You _ , Clyde whispered, “I think we should just leave now. Whatcha think? It’s a drive up ta the cabin, and I think we should get started on our honeymoon soon… I honestly can’t wait to make love to ya in front of the fire.”

Rey’s face lit up, a deep blush coloring her cheeks. “Can you believe we’re really here? Married? Together? After everything we’ve been through.” She leaned her head against his chest as they danced, happy to be in his arms. It was one of the only places she had ever felt truly safe – and that would never change.

“I knew we’d be here the moment I laid eyes on ya, darlin’. Just took some convincin’ to get ya to figure things out. Now I got ya in my life, and I ain’t ever lettin’ ya go.” Clyde tightened his arm around her, kissing the top of her head as she laid it against his chest. “Now, let’s go make our excuses and get to the cabin so we can spend the next couple weeks in bed.”

Rey let out a giggle, lifting her head to look up at him. “Lead the way, big guy.”

….

The Logan family hunting cabin was in the mountains, surrounded by forest and a small freshwater lake. It was the most idyllic spot Rey had ever been to in her life. They went fishing, hiking, and made love more times than Rey could count. It was the perfect way for them to start the new chapter of their lives as husband and wife.

Rey stood on the porch of the cabin on their last night there, a mug of tea clutched in her hands as she took in the view. She heard her husband step onto the porch behind her, and then his arm went around her, pulling her body back against his so he could rest his chin on her shoulder.

“Whatcha thinkin’ ‘bout, darlin’?” Clyde asked as he planted a small kiss to her neck.

“About how we have to go back to real life tomorrow,” Rey let out a small sigh. “I’m not ready to share you with the world again.”

“I’m not ready ta share ya either, darlin’, but we gotta. The bar ain’t gonna run itself, and Boone County needs their hot shot Deputy Sheriff ta help ‘em keep the peace ‘n all. ‘Sides, we got the rest of our lives ta spend together ahead of us ‘n all. We’ll make it work.”

“I know, I know. How about we go back inside then and make the last night of our honeymoon count? I have  _ plans _ for you, Mr. Logan. Delicious plans… that will take us all night long.” Rey turned in his arms, circling his neck with hers and pressing her lips to his.

“Yer plans are so much better than my brother’s, for sure. I like yer plans, especially if they involve us, naked, doin’ things that make me forget about anythin’ but you. Let’s go inside, darlin’, and ya can tell me about these plans of yers.” Clyde kissed her again, lifting her up off the porch and turning towards the door of the cabin.

“I will gladly make and execute plans with you, big guy. Every day for the rest of our lives.” Rey grinned as Clyde carried her, kissing his neck as he stepped inside the cozy cabin.

“I like the sounda that, darlin’,” he replied, carrying her towards the bedroom.

“Me too, handsome. Me too.”

….

**1.5 Years Later**

Clyde woke up to the sound of Rey singing quietly, and he could picture his wife, pacing back and forth with their son in her arms, trying to sing him back to sleep. Glancing at the clock, he let out a small moan when he saw it was five in the morning. He had closed down the bar the night before, and the house had been quiet when he crawled into bed an hour and a half ago.

Rey was a wonderful mother, just as he had known she would be. She had worked as a Deputy until she was five months pregnant with Sammy, and then they had made the decision together that she should find another outlet for her talents and knowledge, and so she had started her own security consulting firm. It had blossomed into a career for her now, and luckily they had a wonderful family that helped when she had to travel for work. Clyde would work the early shift at the bar while Jimmy, Mellie or Sylvia watched Sammy for him.

Clyde loved watching his wife make her company successful. She was so damn smart and fierce, and even after a year and a half of marriage he sometimes found it hard to believe she was his. They were so incredibly happy together, and even if they disagreed, they never went to bed angry at each other – just like he had promised in his wedding vows to her.

He heard his son’s breathing slow as Rey sang to him, the sound muffled through the baby monitor next to their bed, and the telltale sound of his crib creaking slightly as she lay him back down when he was asleep. When she slid into bed again, yawning, Clyde cracked an eye open to look at his wife.

“He okay?” He rumbled, reaching out to pull her against him again.

“Yes, just needed his nappy changed.” Rey snuggled back against her husband, sighing. “He didn’t want to go to sleep last night at all.”

“If he wakes up again, I’ll get him,” Clyde said, kissing her shoulder.

“No, you will not. I have to go to New York the day after tomorrow to meet with the owner of Dameron Corp. for this big contract, so you’re going to be a single parent for a day or so. I will get him if he wakes up so you can sleep.”

“I love you,” Clyde mumbled sleepily, pressing another kiss to her shoulder.

“Love you too, handsome,” Rey replied, closing her eyes for another few hours of precious sleep.

….

When Clyde woke again, afternoon sunlight illuminated the bedroom, and as he rubbed at his eyes to wipe the sleep out of them, he smiled as he heard his favorite sound in the world coming from the living room.

Padding barefoot into the room, Clyde smiled at the sight of Rey, holding their son’s tiny hands in hers as he tottered towards her, babbling the whole time. Rey looked up, smiling brightly at her husband before looking down at Sammy.

“Let’s show Daddy our surprise, baby boy, what do you think?” Rey spoke to their son, her eyes sparkling as she helped turn him around.

“Da! Da Da Da!” Sammy squealed, and as Rey stood to steady him as he took small, unsteady steps towards Clyde, he finally noticed the words on the onesie Rey had dressed him in that morning.

**World’s Best Big Brother.**

Speechless, Clyde didn’t know what to say, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he fought to keep his happy tears at bay. He met his wife and son halfway across the floor, scooping them both up into a tight hug.

“We’re havin’ another baby?” Clyde whispered into Rey’s ear, and as she smiled and nodded, Clyde felt a joyful tear slide onto his cheek.

“I found out yesterday when I went to the doctor. I’m eight weeks along.”

Sammy squealed between them, tugging at Clyde’s hair, and both of them laughed before Clyde kissed Rey lovingly. Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, “Ya make me so happy, darlin’. I love ya more than anythin’ on this Earth. Thank ya for givin’ me a family.”

“You’re my world, Clyde. So, what do you think… another ‘S’ name for this one?”

“Of course… we keep havin’ babies, we’re gonna run outta all the good names, though. We’ll have to name ‘em Stickley after my Uncle eventually.” Clyde chuckled before heading into the kitchen to start his day.

Another glorious day with the center of his universe – Clyde would never want it any other way. It might seem odd to be thankful for someone getting murdered – but it had brought them together, and they would continue to forge on through life together.

Like it had always been meant to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife) (All the twitters - I know them!)


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